Okay, here’s my blog post about decorating Thanksgiving cookies, written in a casual, personal style:
So, I decided to get all crafty and make some decorated cookies for Thanksgiving. I’m no pro baker, but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right? Plus, who doesn’t love a good sugar cookie?
First, I gathered my supplies. I already had a go-to sugar cookie recipe, the kind that’s nice and sturdy for decorating. I also grabbed some royal icing – I made my own, it is super easy! A few drops food coloring, and some piping bags. Don’t forget the sprinkles! I found these cute little leaf-shaped ones, perfect for the occasion.
The Baking Process
I mixed up the dough, which was pretty standard: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, the usual suspects. The key is to not overmix it, or the cookies get tough. Then, I rolled it out on a floured surface and used some Thanksgiving-themed cookie cutters – turkeys, leaves, pumpkins, you get the idea. They went into the oven for about 10-12 minutes, until they were just barely golden brown around the edges.
The Fun Part: Decorating!
Once the cookies were completely cool (important!), I got to work with the royal icing. Here’s how I made my royal icing:
- I whisked together some confectioners’ sugar.
- I added meringue powder.
- I slowly added water until it reached a good consistency – thick enough to hold its shape, but thin enough to pipe smoothly.
I divided the icing into different bowls and tinted them with food coloring. I went for classic fall colors: orange, red, yellow, and brown. I filled my piping bags and started outlining the cookies. This is where my lack of professional skills showed, my hands were a little shaky! But it’s all good, it’s part of the charm.
After outlining, I flooded the cookies with the same color icing, using a toothpick to spread it evenly. Then, before the icing set, I added some details. I used different colored icing to make feathers on the turkeys, lines on the pumpkins, and veins on the leaves. And of course, I sprinkled on some of those cute leaf-shaped sprinkles for extra flair.
It took a while, and it was definitely a bit messy, but it was also super fun! And the cookies, while not perfect, looked pretty darn cute. Most importantly, they tasted delicious! It’s a great activity to do with kids, too (just be prepared for a bigger mess!). Definitely going to add this to my Thanksgiving traditions.
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