Project Sugar Cookie: Attempt #6

So, hey, I was in DC this weekend! And I brought cookies for people! I used a recipe from Nosh with Me, recommended by Michelle, and of course, royal icing from Annie’s Eats.

I’m getting to the point now that when I scan a recipe’s the list and ratios of ingredients, I say things like, “Hm, this should be a firm but kind of stretchy dough,” which, coincidentally is what I said this time due to the 3 sticks of butter and 4 eggs. And I was right! This cookie dough is very forgiving, and it’s definitely one of the easier ones I’ve worked with. It was a happy medium between a metric ton of dough that made my mixer wheeze and a piddling amount that makes you re-roll the dough a dozen times to eke out two dozen cookies.

I refrigerated my dough for about 4 hours before rolling out and cutting, and the resultant cookie had great texture and taste, but it was not ideal in the puffiness domain. My sharper cookie cutter shapes did not translate as well as I would have liked. I suspect that aiming for a soft, yet crisp-edged cookie may be outside the realm of reality, but until I eliminate the possibility entirely, this recipe is going in the Maybe file.

At the risk of jinxing my next attempt, I may have turned a corner in making royal icing! Fist pump! Now, some of the cookies did not come out exactly in line with my artistic vision (assuming I had one), but that was due to my lack of skill, not the consistency of the icing, for once. I have just realized that I need to beat the icing until it puffs up, kind of like meringue or marshmallow fluff. Then it won’t be as dense and likely to split my piping bag. This change made all the difference in my cookies.

For my sister and her boyfriend:

In my e-mails and Gchats with my sister about planning this weekend, we’ve been calling it “R&R4,” since this is our fourth annual sister weekend! It’s also kind of a joke because we are the opposite of “rest and relaxation.” I’m really proud of how these cookies came out, and this lettering job is the first one that didn’t make me want to hide under a rock. Next year, we’re thinking of doing “R&R5″ t-shirts, oh, yes.

As for the feet, well, my sister’s boyfriend hurt his foot recently, and I asked, “Would it be mean or hilarious if I made him foot-shaped cookies?”

My sister: “HAHAHAHAHAHA.”

Okay, then! Although the lettering on these is not so hot, I think they’re still amusing. This shape was the one that distorted the most dramatically, but I’m really pleased with my piping job.

And, for the girls in my usual DC blogger meet-up:

I wish the pink herrings had come out better because I thought it was a funny idea, but I did not have the skill to execute them very well. However, I am a pro at letters now — assuming that they come out of their cookie cutters cleanly — and I love the cherries on the hearts.

Let’s not forget the blunders, however:

That doesn’t even include the two cookies I mangled in their short journey from cookie sheet to cooling rack. I was forced to eat them to put them out of their misery. Also, about half of the cookies broke in transit, much to my chagrin. It was a little funny with the feet, but Janet’s poor broken cherry hearts irritated me. I need to come up with a new transport system.

All in all, this is a really pleasing cookie recipe that I recommend, and I would definitely make it again. Despite a few flubs along the way and some sloppy fish, I’m so glad that I can finally see that I’m making progress in decorating.