Easter came even though we were hidden away. Easter came even though there were no hymns to celebrate its arrival. Easter came in spite of the mandate to keep our distance. And to bring joy to me and mine, I made cutout cookies by the dozens in shapes that remind me of life’s glory and abundance ... butterflies, eggs, bunnies, crosses, flowers, sheep, carrots (yes, carrots!). In spite of the craziness of our current situation, I sent out dozens of cheerful sugar cookies as sweet messengers of hope to those I love.
“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” Oscar Wilde
I wasn’t sure it if would be safe to mail homemade cookies this Easter so I asked a friend who is a registered nurse if it would be okay. She said there was no reason I couldn’t carry on my tradition because the coronavirus isn’t transmitted by food. Plus, the process of baking would kill anything on the food. I was thrilled and decided to bake away my anxiety and put a smile on the faces of my friends and family. I called it “Operation Easter Cookie” and it was a resounding success.
Cookie specifics
My 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. A definite plus is that they don’t have to be refrigerated to keep their shape when baking and the recepe makes a ton!
Shapes
butterflies, eggs, carrots, bunnies, flowers, sheep, crosses
Sizes
Sizes range from small (1½-inch carrots) to large (4-inch sheep). 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
My Family Recipes
Classic Sugar Cookie. A recipe based on one from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed. I’ve tweaked it over the years to create what I think is the perfect sugar cookie.
Icing & Frostings
Glaze for Piping: This glaze/icing dries hard enough that you can stack or package the cookies without damaging the embellishments. I often use it exclusively or in combination with Royal Icing.
Glaze for Piping Recipe
Royal Icing: For some of the embellishments I used Royal Icing in various colors.
Homemade Fondant and Sculpting Chocolate: I used a combination of homemade fondant and sculpting chocolate to cover the bunnies, sheep, and eggs. The combination makes for a delicious cookie “coat” that is easy to emboss and creates a delicate appearance.
Cookies
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, cornstarch, butter, granulated sugar, egg, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, food coloring
Glaze for Piping: sugar, water, corn syrup, food coloring (optional), various extracts for flavoring (vanilla, almond, lemon, raspberry, etc.) (See link to recipe in The Recipes section above.)
Chocolate Dough: corn syrup plus either delicate white and rich semi-sweet chocolate.
Homemade Fondant: sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, gelatin, water, vanilla extract, food coloring (optional)
Bags. Although I did eat my share of the cookies, most of them were mailed to family and friends. I wrapped them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This prevents damage to the decorations during packing.
Mailing. I mailed the cookies to my family and friends by sending them Priority Mail through the U.S. Post Office. I used the boxes provided by the Post Office and lots of bubble wrap. I know the packages are appreciated when they arrived, especially since I’d warned people that I might not be able to mail them anything until the shelter-in-place was lifted. I hope their arrival was a welcome surprise.
What I’ve learned...
I’ve always known that baking makes me happy. During this strange time of isolation, I have learned a lot of new things. For instance, I don’t need as much “stuff” as I have. I can read a good book in a few hours. It’s ok to stop reading a boring book. I do not like cat videos on YouTube. It is possible to burn a boiled egg, especially while you’re reading a good book. If you are out of several key ingredients, you should try a different recipe because too many substitutions result in an inedible blob. It’s possible to forget what day it is and still be content. My neighborhood is full of friendly people and a lot of them have dogs. Who knew? I’m ready to burst out of this cocoon I’ve been weaving. How about you? What have you learned?
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