Decorated Wedding Cookies: Easy Diy Guide For Beginners

Wedding cookies are a delightful way to add a sweet touch to any celebration, from bridal showers to the big day itself. Decorated wedding cookies can be a fun DIY project or a thoughtful gift for the happy couple. In this guide, we will explore different ways to make and decorate wedding cookies, from classic sugar cookies to more unique options like Mexican wedding cookies. We will also provide tips and tricks for achieving the perfect look and taste, including the use of royal icing, lustre dust, and creative cookie cutters. So, whether you're a novice baker or an experienced cookie decorator, get ready to dive into the world of wedding cookie creation!

Using cookie cutters to create wedding dress-shaped cookies

Materials:

First, gather your materials. You will need a wedding dress-shaped cookie cutter, which you can find online or at specialty baking stores. Stainless steel cookie cutters, such as those offered by LILIAO, Ann Clark, and Cookie Cutter Kingdom, are durable and long-lasting. You will also need a roll-out sugar cookie recipe, royal icing, and optional decorations like pearl luster dust.

Cut Out the Dough:

Start by preparing your favourite sugar cookie dough recipe. Once you have a smooth and consistent dough, roll it out to your desired thickness. Use your wedding dress cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough. If you're making a large batch, you can gather and re-roll the dough scraps to cut out more cookies.

Baking:

Place the cut-out cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake them according to your recipe's instructions, making sure not to overbake them. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

Decorating:

To achieve a smooth and elegant finish, you can "flood" the cookies with royal icing. This technique involves outlining the cookie with a thicker consistency of icing and then filling it in with a thinner consistency. Allow the icing to dry completely, which may take a few hours. For an extra touch of glamour, you can brush on some pearl luster dust to make the cookies shimmer. You can also use #2 and #3 round tips for piping additional details.

Storage:

These decorative cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. If you want to make them ahead of time, you can freeze the un-iced cookies and thaw them in the refrigerator before decorating.

With a little creativity and attention to detail, you can create beautiful and delicious wedding dress-shaped cookies that are sure to impress!

Decorating cookies with royal icing

Preparing the Cookies

Before you begin decorating, it is important to ensure that your cookies are ready to be iced. Bake your cookies and let them cool completely before adding any royal icing. It is also recommended to chill your cookies in the freezer for a few minutes if the dough starts to get too soft, as this will help keep the lines and edges sharp and clean.

Making the Royal Icing

Royal icing is made with only a few simple ingredients, typically powdered sugar, meringue powder or egg whites, and water. You can also add flavourings, colourings, or cream of tartar to stabilize the icing and brighten its colour. When making royal icing, it is crucial to find the right consistency for your desired design. There are three main types of royal icing consistencies:

• Flood consistency is the thinnest and is used to fill in the base layer of your cookies, creating a nice flat surface to work on. To achieve this consistency, add water to your royal icing mix until it runs off your spoon and the trails left in the bowl disappear within 10-15 seconds.
• Medium consistency is used for outlining, text, and adding details such as leaves. It is thicker than flood consistency and will hold its shape better. To test if your icing is ready, use the counting method: spoon out some icing and let it drip back into the bowl; if it disappears within 15-25 seconds, it's ready for medium consistency work.
• Stiff consistency is the thickest type and is used for creating florals, ruffles, or any design where the icing needs to hold its shape firmly. To achieve this consistency, use minimal water, and your icing will stand straight up on a spoon.

Decorating Techniques

Now that you have your royal icing prepared, it's time to start decorating! Here are some popular techniques to try:

• Piping and Flooding: Piping is a basic technique used to create intricate outlines, patterns, and shapes. Flooding involves covering larger areas of the cookie with a thinner layer of icing. You can pipe and flood in the same or different colours to create various effects.
• Borders and Outlines: Use royal icing in outlining consistency to create borders, fonts, and details. This will help define the edges of your design and add precision to your work.
• Flocking: Flocking gives your cookies a sparkling effect. Simply pipe your pattern and immediately sprinkle sparkling sugar over the piped icing. Let the icing set for a minute or two before shaking off any excess sugar.
• Adding Candies and Decorations: Use royal icing as a "glue" to attach candies, pearl balls, dragées, or edible flowers and fresh fruits to your cookies.
• Layering and Bleeding: You can create multiple layers of icing, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. This technique is great for creating intricate designs and playing with colour blending.

Final Tips

• Always cover your royal icing when not in use to prevent it from hardening.
• Plan your cookie design in advance, thinking of each colour as a separate layer.
• Use food colouring gels instead of liquid colouring to preserve the consistency of the icing.
• Let your cookies dry completely before stacking or storing them in an airtight container.
• Practice makes perfect! Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you.

With these steps and techniques in mind, you're well on your way to creating beautiful and delicious decorated wedding cookies!

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the dough

To make decorated wedding cookies, you'll need to prepare the cookie dough, cut out the cookies, bake them, and then decorate them with royal icing. Here's a detailed guide on using a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the dough:

Before you start mixing, make sure your butter is at room temperature, between 68°F and 70°F. This will help ensure a smooth and creamy mixture. Place the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer or hand mixer. If you're using a stand mixer, fit the bowl with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on medium speed and beat the butter and sugar together until they are fully combined and you have a buttery paste that clings to the side of the bowl. This should take around 2-3 minutes.

Once the sugar is absorbed into the butter, add in the vanilla extract and continue mixing for an additional 30 seconds to incorporate it fully. Now it's time to add the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt to the butter-sugar mixture. As the dry ingredients start to absorb, you can gradually increase the speed back to medium. Continue mixing until all the flour is incorporated and a dough has formed. Stop the mixer once the dough comes together.

At this point, you can add in any mix-ins, such as crushed nuts or chocolate chips, if desired. Mix on low speed until they are evenly incorporated throughout the dough. If your dough feels too crumbly, you can try mixing it a little longer with a stand mixer or hand mixer. This will help develop the gluten in the flour and create a more cohesive dough.

Finally, scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a disk about 1-inch thick and wrap it tightly. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until it is firm. Chilling the dough will make it easier to handle and roll out later.

Once the dough is chilled, you can follow the remaining steps to cut out, bake, and decorate your wedding cookies. Remember to preheat your oven and prepare your baking sheets before taking the dough out of the refrigerator. Enjoy the process of creating beautiful and delicious decorated wedding cookies!

Adding crushed nuts to the dough

Firstly, decide on the type of nuts you want to use. Almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts are all great options for adding flavour and texture to your cookies. You can use one type of nut or a combination of different nuts for a more complex flavour profile. If desired, lightly toast the nuts before adding them to the dough to enhance their flavour.

Next, prepare the nuts by chopping or crushing them into small pieces. You can use a food processor or blender to make this process quicker and easier, or you can put the nuts in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Be sure to chop the nuts finely enough so that they incorporate well into the dough and don't affect the texture of the cookies too much.

When making the cookie dough, simply add the crushed nuts to the mixture along with the other dry ingredients. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring that the nuts are evenly distributed throughout the dough. If you are using a cookie cutter to shape your cookies, be sure to chop the nuts finely enough so that they don't affect the shape or integrity of the dough when cut.

Depending on the recipe you are using, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid in the dough to account for the addition of nuts. If the dough seems too dry or crumbly, add a small amount of warm milk or water, a little at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency. On the other hand, if the dough becomes too sticky, you can add a small amount of additional flour.

Finally, proceed with shaping and baking the cookies according to your chosen recipe instructions. Keep in mind that the addition of nuts may affect the baking time, so keep a close eye on the cookies to ensure they don't burn. Enjoy your delicious, nutty decorated wedding cookies!

Freezing the dough or baked cookies for later

Freezing Cookie Dough

Most cookie doughs freeze well, but there are exceptions. Cookie doughs that don't freeze well include thin, delicate cookies like tuiles, florentines, lace, and pizzelles. These usually have liquidy batters that don't freeze well, so it's best to make these kinds of cookies fresh.

The best cookie doughs to freeze include drop cookies (e.g. chocolate chip or oatmeal), slice-and-bake cookies (e.g. shortbread), and cut-out cookies (e.g. sugar and gingerbread).

• Drop cookie dough: Freeze in balls on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.
• Slice-and-bake dough: Freeze in tightly wrapped logs.
• Cut-out dough: Shape into discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.

Other tips for freezing cookie dough:

• Don't freeze cookie dough already rolled in granulated or powdered sugar, as the sugar can clump and form an unappealing coating. Wait to roll them right before baking.
• Add an extra minute or two to the baking time if baking directly from frozen.
• Label the bag or container with the recipe name, date, baking temperature, and bake time.
• Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months.

Freezing Baked Cookies

You can also freeze baked cookies, particularly the kinds that freeze well as doughs. However, it's important to freeze them individually on baking sheets first to avoid them sticking together.

• Freeze baked cookies on baking sheets lined with wax or parchment paper until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or another airtight container.
• Don't freeze decorated cookies. Icing, jam, and ganache don't freeze well, so it's best to add them after the cookies have been thawed.
• Don't thaw the cookies in the containers they were frozen in, as the condensation may cause them to become soggy. Instead, take them out of the container and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to thaw at room temperature.
• Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions