A Sugar Cookie Christmas

Holiday season is just around the corner, and I like to celebrate it with festive decorated treats from my kitchen. One of my ultimate favourite delicacies to bake is sugar cookies. For me, baking this style of cookie allows me to be creative, spend time with my family, relax and enjoy my sweet edible masterpiece!

The great thing about sugar cookies is that anyone can do them and no experience is needed. They can be decorated to suit any theme or season by using a variety of cookie cutters, coloured icings and edible embellishments such as sprinkles, candy, markers and more! Another neat factor is that the finished result can be as simple or as detailed as you would like. They also make great gifts that are not only handmade and beautiful but also sure to please any palette! It’s your creation so it’s up to you and however it turns out it’s sure to be magnificent and scrumptious!

Let’s get started. Your cookie is your canvas and it will need to be on the firmer side so it has a smooth surface and won’t fall apart as you apply your icing and decorations. Sugar cookie recipes come in a variety of flavours such as classic vanilla, chocolate, shortbread, and ginger and can be found at your favourite kitchen accessories store, book store or library. You may even have a traditional family recipe on hand. For icing, use your best-loved butter icing or royal icing recipe. Butter icing is great for beginners as it isn’t as messy or fussy to work with compared to royal icing. Royal icing can be tricky as it involves different consistencies for different effects and takes longer to dry, but it allows you to be more detailed with your designs.

Let the fun begin! You will need cooled sugar cookies and prepared icing in different colours. Add icing to your cookie following the design you want. You can use a spatula to add icing for buttercream or tipless piping bags for royal icing. While the icing is still wet add your sprinkles or any edible decorations, let dry. Once your base has dried you can add piping to personalize or create finer details. I know I have the perfect piping consistency when I lightly place a spoon on top of the icing and pull it upwards. If the icing creates a swirled peak (think Dairy Queen ice cream cones) it’s time to pipe. Let dry and enjoy!

Grab your apron, refresh your sprinkles, put on your favourite playlist, and start creating!

Here are some simple tips and tools to get you started.

Tips:

• Before you begin, gather all your decorating tools. This will help make the process smoother.
• Plan out your designs ahead of time
• Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to reduce the mess
• Use rolling pin guide rings for consistent thickness (I usually use 3/8”)
• Chill dough prior to cutting out shapes to prevent spreading and misshapen cookies

Tools:

• Rolling pin & rings
• Parchment paper
• Cookie cutters of any shape or size
• Spatulas
• Scribe tool for spreading royal icing
• Tipless piping bags
• Piping icing gels
• Gel food colouring. Gel food colouring won’t change the consistency of the icing
• Tweezers for adding precise placement of sprinkles
• Decorations: Sprinkles, sanding sugar, dragées, assorted candies

Not into making your own cookies? Try a local bakery in your area. Artisan Bakery in Regina is one of my favourites!

-Karen Kulcsar is the Marketing Support Assistant on the Brand & Digital Platforms Team at Directwest