I’m not a cookie maker. So, let’s take the challenge!
I guess I’ve never been a cookie maker, due to the fact it’s somehow just easier to mix everything in a bowl, place the mixture in a cake tin and it’s done! Also, apart from that, one piece of cake will keep you satisfied..one cookie always, but always leads to another and another. I don’t make cookies!
However the charm of making cookies for my niece and nephew, (taking the cooking pressure off my sister) led me to discover this basic cookie dough. Not too hard, right!
For three days I’ve been making these cookies! The joys of the cookie process. Dough made: best left overnight wrapped tight in fridge… Cut cookies, bake, leave to cool, another day gone… make Royal Icing, whip, colour, design pattern. Leave to dry…Yes, my friends, three days.Cookie monster would be screaming!!
Searching for a basic cookie dough I opted for this one…(all faith in Martha and then tweaked)
Basic Cookie Dough:
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup self raising flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder ( I eliminated this )
1/4 teaspoon salt
180 g butter,softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
With mixer running add egg and vanilla.
Reduce speed to low.
Add flour mixture gradually,beating until just incorporated. Divide dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm,at least 1 hour or overnight.
Friends, first day done!
Preheat oven to moderate temp: 180°C. Let one disk of dough stand at room temp. just soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to about a 5-6 mm. Then have fun choosing your cookie cutters. I used a princess shoe, crown and heart.
Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes…this waiting time is important.
Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, about 14 –16 minutes.
Let cookies cool on paper on wire racks. Another day over!
This is the part I really enjoyed. The icing of this cookies. I chose these feminine colours of pink, lilac and yellow. Appropriate for these cookie shapes: princess shoe, crown and heart.
My first attempt at cookies and this style of icing, using Royal Icing.
Ok, so I took three hours to ice these cookies, but well worth the effort, don’t you think?
Royal Icing
500 g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 large egg whites
Vanilla flavoring, or any other you desire.
Food colouring ( your choice – all the colours of the rainbow )
Place icing sugar and cream of tartar in mixing bowl. Turn mixer on low, gradually adding each egg white one at a time.Mix for 3 –4 minutes. Gradually add 1 – 2 tablespoons of water.
You’re ready to start designing coloured coated cookies.
So after applying 100% into my personal cookie baking challenge, I know I have to go out and buy some “boys” cookie cutters, maybe a dinosaur, train or racing car. Some boy’s stuff Zia!
Happy Cookie Cooking Friends
Yvette…x
Linking up to Amy @ uTry.it
Yvette's Twistedvines 
Yvette, your dedication, love and care is so evident in your pictures – your cookies are absolutely perfect – kudos to you!
🙂 Mandy
Yvette, how perfect! Your vignette is pretty enough to be in a magazine. Your first time cookies came out perfectly! What little girl wouldn’t go ga-ga over them.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. Seems like it’s much better to do the cookies over a period of a few days, rather than trying to do all the steps in one day. Good idea.
Have a glorious day,
Marianne
Thank you for participating the Smackdown Battle. Best of luck to you. These Princess Cookies are so pretty! Wonderful choice to submit these cookies for the contest.
If you haven’t done so, please sign up as a follower on my blog so you won’t miss out on the winner announcement and new posts. If you’re already a follower, thank you, and I truly appreciate your supports. Have a wonderful day!
Amy
http://utry.it
So pretty, Yvette! Great job, I’m sure there were some very happy princesses indeed! 🙂
Shortbread cutout cookies bring back precious memories of my mother. She used to bake them once a year, decorated beautifully. Your pastel decorated cutout cookies look fabulously delicious. I’m sure your niece and nephew will always remember this special time they spent with you. Blessings, Yvette…
These cookies are so cute 🙂 I love all the girly colors. Thanks for stopping by my recipe features. Hope to see you again next Wednesday. Have a nice day!
Katie
So pretty, Yvette, awesome!
Those are so pretty and delightfully feminine! I would end up with splodges of pink icing everywhere but on the cookies, but I love to see other people’s icing prowess. You will be giving lessons next (maybe you do?)! x Joanna
What!? You’ve never made cookies before. I don’t believe it! Those look darling. I haven’t ventured into the royal icing decorating quite yet. I snake mine on with a piping bag. Still comes out pretty. Just faster. But I would like to try the Royal Icing way. Nice job!
Love it- what a result !1 Thanks for your sweet comments on my blog .XOXO
Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog. These photos and cookies are gorgeous. Flowing is an art, and yours look perfect. Sugar cookies are my favorite.
oh my, arent these the pretty ones. Pretty and princessy! i love them!
What a beautiful blog! These cookies are darling and will be perfect for our royalty unit next week at the preschool where I teach.
Thanks, too, for stopping by Zen Mama Travels…
How lovely that you took the time to ice the cookies! Definitely nice to look at!!
For someone not a cookie maker you did a great job. They are so pretty. But, I do agree one cookie always leads to another or one for each hand. Andi