Cookie Decoration Ideas

I don't use icing, I use sprinkles and dyed white sugar and decorate them before they're baked. I also use cookie sheets with no sides so I can tilt them and have some of the extra sprinkles come off before they go in the oven. My 4 yo has a heavy hand with the sprinkles. I also use raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, broken candy canes, anything I can think of as long as it's small. When the kids get older, I may try icing in decorator bags (so they can just pipe it on) and see how they do.

As for cookies, you could get a hand or turkey shaped cookie cutter. I'm thinking candy corn beaks, red hot heart waddles (or licorice), and multi-colored sprinkles for the tail feathers. I also saw some cute cupcakes at a bake sale - white frosting with candy corn tail feathers and beak and mini m&m eyes or something like that. Very cute!

PB&J just about says it all. Pumpkin cookies are good the kind you drizzle icing on after they're baked and cooled a bit. Kids love to drizzle. (good if you like pumpkin)

JIFFY frosting!!!! It's the best and cheap, sets up very well. It comes in a little box for less than $1 and all you do is add water! Tint it with food color and color you want.

Also, we use mini m&ms for eyes, noses and buttons and Pull and Peel licorice for mouths etc.

easy, easy Thanksgiving cookie: Pilgrim's Hats!

Buy the fudge-striped cookies, flip them striped side down.
Use a little bit of icing/piping to attach a Rolo to the cookie.
Then use yellow piping to make a "hatband" around the Rolo....& finish by using the yellow piping to make a buckle on the band.

A great family project....one we've been making for years!

First: For fun Thanksgiving treats try one (or both) of these:
Go to FamilyFun.com and search for Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats, should be the first on the list. (I tried to post the link and am having problems.) I'm making these with my nephew and little guy : ) You could bake your own cookies for the bottom, I'm using store-bought.
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/corny-cookies-685173/

Second: Don't use canned frosting, make your own, much better tasting and sets up better. I make it from scratch, this recipe (from the Cake Mix Doctor) is easy and sets up well:

Buttercream Frosting

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3 cups confectioners’ sugar (sift after measuring)
3 tablespoons milk (plus extra for desired consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla.
2. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in up to 1 additional tablespoon milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

To tint use Wilton Gel Icing Colors that come in little jars, you can find it at cake and candy supply stores, craft stores like Michael's and Joann's, online or even at Target.

I use powdered sugar with milk for the icing of our cut-out cookies. I use 1-2 cups of powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of milk so that it's a little thick yet drizzly. My kids then use paint brushes to put the icing on - one brush for each color seems to be the least messy technique for us. Add sprinkles on top of the icing. Decorate after baking and the icing hardens well as it dries.

Google "sugar cookie frosting" or icing and see what comes up - some work far better than others. You definitely want one that sets nicely. Check the reviews. I've found a couple that work OK, but I'm always looking for better ones.

I tint portions of the white frosting all different colors in several small bowls and give the kids plastic knives for spreading. Then I lay out several small bowls of all different kinds of sprinkles and look out! The cookies always come out very imaginative and beautiful.

Williams-Sonoma has wonderful types of sprinkles - gold, silver, pearls, unusual colors. I don't know if you have a store or outlet near you. Mall kitchen stores often have a good variety too.

I've also experimented by putting colored frosting in a small plastic sandwich bag, making a small cut in one corner and letting the kids "pipe" the frosting using the bag. The older ones have some success with this.

Enjoy! We just did car cupcakes for my son's birthday this weekend with frosting and candy and they came out adorable. I love baking with kids.