What are little boys made of?
“Snips and snails and puppy dog tails...” Popular 19th Century Nursery Rhyme
These adorable little bird cookies marked the arrival of a friend’s first grandson. The bird cookies were made for my friend, who had given me the cookie cutters for my birthday the month before. She knows me so well and I wanted the arrival of her grandchild to be the first occasion for using these perfect shapes.
Cookie specifics
Classic Sugar Cookie (Birthday Shapes). 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.
Shortbread (Little Birds). 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.
Shapes
baby birds, plaques, cupcakes, starfish
Sizes
Sizes range from 2-4 inches. (By the way, 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!)
Greetings & Messages
square, circle, rectangle...plaque shapes, plus straight and fluted edges
Family Recipes
Classic Sugar Cookie. A recipe based on one from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed.
This Shortbread recipe was developed over several months in my quest to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Cookies
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, granulated sugar, egg, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, salt
Shortbread: flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, food coloring
Glaze: sugar, water, corn syrup, food coloring (optional), various extracts for flavoring (vanilla, almond, lemon, raspberry, etc.)
Sprinkles: Tiny red hearts for the birds’ eyes and mouths and accents on the other cookies.
Plate, Box or Bag?
Plate. The bird cookies for the arrival of my friend’s grandson were arranged on a clear cookie plate and wrapped in plastic wrap to get them from my house to hers.
Bags. I placed the birthday cookies in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie, then popped them into freezer bags to box them up. This protected them from damage since I was going to put them in a box and mail them.
Mailing. I mailed the birthday cookies to my sister. When I mail coookies, 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. I know the package was appreciated when it arrived because of the text I got with all those hearts.
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in a small batch of two dozen. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
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