Cookie Calligraphy
August 28, 2020
Where my cookie monsters at?! Of all the things I could “write” with these cookie letters, “cookie monster” was obviously at the top of my list. But the possibilities are endless. Write your name, leave a love note, pop the question or make an announcement - so many options! I really can’t wait to see what you all come up with. And how cute are the cookie sprinkles from Sprinkle Robot? I love ordering royal icing transfers from this shop - such an easy way to bring the “wow” factor.
The recipe for these cookie letters starts with the same base dough as my sprinkle cookies, but with a little more flour to keep the letters from spreading too much. But the real trick to this “calligraphy” process is to put your dough in a pastry bag to pipe your letters, which then hang out in the freezer to firm up before a quick bake.
recipe
Adapted from Everyday Annie’s Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
Quantity: ~25 letters (depending on how big and thick you make the letters)
Time: ~2 hours
INGREDIENTS:
Cookies
210 g (1 and 3/4 cups) all purpose flour
6 g (1 and 1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
1 stick butter
99 g (1/2 cup) sugar
1 large egg
8 g (1 and 1/2 tablespoons) vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
113g (1 cup) confectioners’ sugar
15g (1 generous tablespoon) butter, melted
Splash of vanilla extract
Splash of milk (plus more, as needed)
Food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)
PROCESS:
Cookies
Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or silicone baking mats).
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together to blend.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
Add the dry ingredients, mixing on low just until incorporated and evenly mixed. Transfer dough to a piping bag and cut off a 1/2 inch hole at the end.
Pipe your dough into your desired message. If you are doing a cursive script, I suggest doing only 3-4 letters in one section. This makes it easier to move things without the letters breaking off.
Place piped letters into the freezer for ~30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. If any of the letters spread into each other during baking, just use a knife to separate the letters while the cookies are still warm.
Frosting
Using your microwave, melt butter in a small bowl in 15 second increments. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix together. The mixture will be dry.
Add a splash of vanilla and mix to incorporate. Then add a splash of milk and mix until smooth. You may need to add a splash or two more of milk until you reach your desired consistency. Definitely err on the side of thicker frosting. Add food coloring of your choice. If you want more than one color, be sure to set some frosting aside.
After adding the food coloring, you may need to adjust the thickness with a little more milk.
Place frosting in a piping bag or large ziploc bag.
Assemble
Once the cookies have cooled, cut a small hole in your piping bag and pipe the frosting over the letters, being mindful not to use too much (if you use too much, the frosting will run off the side and make it harder to read the message). Top with sprinkles and enjoy!
TIPS:
Make sure your ingredients are room temp. Otherwise the dough will be too stiff to pipe. If you’re finding it difficult to pipe, let the dough sit in a warm room for a bit.
Don’t worry if some of the cookies break. If it happens before you back, just smush the dough back together and the letters will fuse together during baking. If it happens after baking, you can “glue” the letters back together using a small amount of the frosting.
If you have any leftover frosting, you can keep it in the freezer for a month or two.