Wow! I really feel like the 4th of July just crept up on me this year. Is it possible that it is really tomorrow??
I mean, I kinda let June just go by without even making a single red, white, and blue treat to get ready for the holiday. I know…..crazy!!!
But I couldn’t let the 4th of July come and go without acknowledging it with a patriotic treat. That would be some kind of crime right?
So I resurrected some photos of some cookies that I decorated with royal icing from last year’s Independence Day celebration. Oh, and I made these last year “pre-blog”. Thus the pictures are simply from my I-phone, not my beautiful DSLR. Please forgive the picture quality. 😉
Now the pictures might not be up to par, but I’ll tell you that the cookies themselves definitely are!
I love making cookies with royal icing! They are so much fun to make!! Some people get intimidated about trying them, but I assure you: they are lots of fun to make and once you try them, you will quickly get the hang of it. I even have a cookie decorating party with some of my friends every once in a while. (That will have to be another post! )
In fact, I don’t have time to do a step by step tutorial myself on how to decorate cookies with royal icing, but I will point you in the right direction if you want to give it a try.
First, I would start with this great book called “Cookie Craft”. I myself use the royal icing recipe from this book. It gives you great decorating ideas in full color and different techniques, advice and recipes.
I use the “pipe and flood” method with a pastry bag and squeeze bottle though there are some who use a spoon. There are plenty of tutorials out there and I have used every one of these:
Spoon technique: Spoonful of Flavor
Design Idea: Somewhat Simple
General Tips: Sweetopia
Outlining and Filling: Sweet SugarBelle
The “Bag Trick”: Karen’s Cookies
Honestly, if you have never tried decorating cookies with royal icing before, these tutorials and hints should be more than sufficient to help you get started! 🙂
Whatever yummy food you make for this 4th of July, I hope it is a good one! Happy Independence Day everyone! 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 c. butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. salt
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 4 t. meringue powder
- 3 TBLS warm water
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 4 t. meringue powder
- 6 TBLS warm water
- food dye
- sprinkles and decorations
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and blend into sugar mixture in a couples of additions, mixing just until blended.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- On a well floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick and using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and place on a cookie sheet fitted with a silpat or parchment paper.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to sit on the cookie sheet for at least a minute before removing them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- When cookies are cooled, make the royal icing.
- First, blend the ingredients for the piping frosting in a medium mixing bowl for several minutes until the mixture is the consistency of toothpaste, adding additional water or powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Divide into small bowls and mix in food coloring to desired tint. Cover the bowls immediately.
- Blend all the ingredients for the flooding icing for several minutes in a large mixing bowl until the consistency resembles heavy cream. Divide into bowls and all food coloring and mix until desired consistency is reached.
- Using pastry bags and squeeze bottles, decorate cookies as desired.
Royal Icing recipe: Cookie Craft
Try these other cookie recipes:
Ohh these are adorable! Have a nice day tomorrow!
Thanks so much Consuelo! 🙂
These cookies are beautiful, Renee! I’ve never decorated with royal icing, and I’m hoping I’ll get around to tackling it for holiday baking this year. They always look so much better. Have a wonderful Fourth!
Oh Marcie, I know you would ROCK royal icing on cookies! It’s so much fun!! I hope your family enjoys the holiday!! 🙂
These cookies are SO cute! I hope you had a wonderful 4th! 🙂