Shortbread. The combination of European butter and vanilla bean makes this shortbread cookie one of the yummiest cookies I make. It’s buttery, crumbly and light. For the lemon lovers in my family, I make a lemon variation, full of subtle lemon flavor, and topped with a bright and tangy lemon glaze. [Developed over several months in an attempt to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea]
Brown-Butter Cookies. Made with brown butter, which gives them a deep, rich caramelized flavor, these cookies are unique and delicious. [Original recipe from Sugar Hero.]
Ultimate Chocolate Cutout Cookies. A chocolate-lover’s dream, these cutout cookies are rich and chocolatey. I use them as the cookie base for my chocolate cookie pops and ganache-filled sandwich cookies! [Original recipe from Lila Loa.]
Soft Sugar Cookies. This cookie has a subtle hint of almond extract and a chewy, soft texture. They are cut a little thicker than the average cutout cookies, which makes every bite an experience of chewy perfection. [Original recipe from The Food Charlatan.]
Classic Sugar Cookie. This classic sugar cookie brings back memories of the Christmas cookies my mother made during the holidays...with a bold vanilla flavor and slightly soft texture, they make me smile every time I eat one. [Based on an original recipe from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed]
Gingerbread. My go-to gingerbread cookie is firm on the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. It has a robust molasses flavor and plenty of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices. I was never a gingerbread lover as a child, but this cookie won me over.
My Gingerbread Recipe
Plus... Although the above cookies are my “go-to” favorites, I read food blogs regularly and am often inspired to try new recipes and techniques. A big shout-out to food artists and bloggers...and a warm thank you for their inspiration and generosity in sharing their passion.
Icing, Frosting, Decorations. I prefer to use a combination of homemade marshmallow fondant and sculpting chocolate (so much tastier than store-bought fondant) with royal icing accents. When I don’t want to use fondant, I use a quick-drying vanilla glaze. I apply it in a thick coat that dries hard enough to stack and keep its shiny surface.
Glaze for Piping Recipe
The delicate decorations are made from royal icing or sculpting chocolate, and finished with a dusting of sparkling sugar. For chocolate lovers, I use homemade white sculpting chocolate and semi-sweet modeling chocolate that tastes like the richest chocolate fudge you’ve ever eaten. Finally, some cookies cry out for sprinkles and colored sugars — and when they do, I always say “yes.”
Fillings. Chocolate (white, semi-sweet, and bittersweet) is my favorite filling in sandwich cookies and chocolate ganache makes for a beautiful — and delicious — coating. In sandwich cookies, I also use homemade jams, fruit compote, Swiss buttercream, and homemade caramel. You can never have too much sugar, right!
It depends on how many cookies I’m making and on the degree of detail and decorative elements. The average, though, is 2-3 days, mainly because of the drying time required between the application of the layers of icing and decorations. Royal icing itself takes about 8 hours to dry completely in order to be able to package the cookies. Letting the finished cookies dry overnight is preferred. When more than one layer of icing is required to achieve the desired effect, it can take more time. Oddly enough, the actual baking of the cookie is the fastest part of the project. I usually plan on three to four days from start to finish when making cookies to mail to family and friends. (This does not include the time it takes the U.S. Post Office to deliver my creations.)
I frequently reading cookbooks and food blogs so I get a lot of my recipes from other bakers and then finetune them for my own tastebuds. I also have several family recipes that have been handed down to me. I love to experiment with flavors, textures and designs so am always tweaking my recipes in search of the perfect cookie. I’ve made hundreds — maybe thousands — of batches of each of the recipes I use the most often. But I’m always interested in trying a new flavor combination or design technique. I’ve also developed several gluten-free versions of my favorite cookies so that my gluten-free friends don’t have to give up eating my sweet gifts.
My Inspirations
Here are some of the food blogs and people that inspire me with their artistry, creativity, and recipes.
- America’s Test Kitchen
- The Food Charlatan
- Gluten Free on a Shoestring
- Lila Loa
- Recipes for a Sweet Life
- Sally’s Baking Addiction
- Sugar Hero
- Sweetopia
- Sweet Sugarbelle
Cookie Ingredients
Soft Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, almond extract, pure vanilla extract, salt
[Original recipe from The Food Charlatan.]
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, granulated sugar, egg, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, salt
[Based on an original recipe from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed]
Shortbread: flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
[Developed over several months in an attempt to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea]
Brown-Butter Cookies: flour, brown butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
[Original recipe from Sugar Hero.]
Chocolate Cookies: flour, cocoa, butter, sugar, vegetable shortening, egg, baking powder, pure vanilla extract, salt
[Original recipe from Lila Loa.]
Gingerbread: flour, butter, dark brown sugar, molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, baking powder, egg, pure vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt
[Based on several recipes from family and friends]
Short answer is all shapes and sizes! I have cookie cutters for holidays, special occasions, and celebrations; I have alphabets, articles of clothing, animals, flowers, and geometric shapes. I have different sizes, from mini to maxi. The smallest cutters I have are barely an inch and the largest is a dinner-plate size
About my cookie shapes
I have actually never counted them! I don’t own every cookie cutter ever made, of course, but I’m running out of space to store the ones I have. Let’s just say that I have a lot. Several years ago I bought some old-fashioned tin animal shapes in an antique store with no real idea in mind of how I’d use them. I finally brought them out for my “Christmas Comes to the Zoo” project and they became some of my favorite shapes ever.
Some of the animal cookie cutters:
I’m pretty much obsessed with making and decorating cookies and love to share them with family and friends. But I am not a professional baker and cookies are not a business venture for me. Instead, they are my passion and a way for me to reach out to those I love. Occasionally I will make a batch or two for friends to give to friends...and some of the cookies shown on this website were made for that purpose. So, yes, I occasionally sell my cookies locally, but the vast majority of what I bake is given as gifts to friends and family. A box of beautiful and whimsical cookies can be such a delightful way to show someone that you care about them.
Plate, Box or Bag?
Paper Plate. Depending on the occasion, when I’m transporting my cookies locally, I occasionally arrange them on a sturdy Chinet paper plate and wrap the whole thing in clear plastic wrap. This is a safe way to get them from my house to the event I’m attending. Mostly, though, I prefer to box them or wrap them....
Box. My favorite way to transport my cookies is to package them in a cardboard bakery box with a clear window on top that makes the contents visible to anyone who wants to peek. Depending on the size of the cookies (2½-to-3 inches is my favorite size to make), the boxes I use can hold about 12 to 18 cookies.
I like these 6x6x3" bakery boxes from amazon.com.
Bags. If I plan to use the cookies as party favors, I usually wrap them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This also makes the cookies stackable without causing damage to the decorations. Guests can eat the cookie at the event or take it home to share with family and friends.
I like these 4x6" treat bags from amazon.com.
Mailing. Several times a year — especially on holidays — I mail cookies to my family and friends throughout the U.S. (and sometimes overseas). I always send them Priority Mail through the U.S. Post Office. I use the boxes provided by the Post Office and lots of bubble wrap! In almost all cases, the cookies arrive undamaged. (Yes, dear nephew, I remember the box I sent you several Easters ago that looked like it had been run over by an 18-wheeler, but that was the exception!) I know the packages are appreciated when they arrive because of the texts I get with all those smiling faces.
I’m definitely partial to baking cookies, mainly because it’s easy to mail them to my favorite people around the country. But I love making all kinds of desserts... candy, cakes, cupcakes, pies, and other sweet things. Bread-making is also a passion of mine. Nothing can describe the aroma and taste of bread fresh from the oven. Spread a bit of butter over a warm slice and bread and you’re transported to a very happy place. If you look through the “All the Rest” section on this website, you’ll find some other non-cookie treats, including protein bars, homemade vanilla, modeling chocolate, and more.
My “non-cutout-cookie” baking