“I do!” ............. (brown butter sugar cookies)
Although 90% of the cookies I decorate are full of color, deep down I love the monochromatic look. I find white-on-white to be the most elegant look a cookie can have. So making cookies as party favors for weddings and bridal showers is one of my favorite projects. When the color palette is limited to white, texture and patterns become the focal point. These heart cookies embossed with floral patterns are a joy to bake and decorate. And, to my mind, white piping on white frosting is the height of grace and elegance. Together these cookies speak of true love and ’til-death-us-do-part happiness. Am I a hopeless romantic? You bet I am!
“Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay?” Neil (Children’s Letters to God)
P.S. The Shortbread leaves and the Classic Sugar Cookie doves and whimsical white-on-white hearts & flowers were for a bridal shower that was elegant but not stuffy.
Cookie specifics
These Brown Butter Heart Cookies are made with brown butter and brown sugar which give them a rich, carmelized flavor. They are beautifully decorated with embossed white chocolate and royal icing accents.
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. The leaves were embossed and lightly brushed with edible glitter.
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.
Sentimental symbols of love & devotion
Fluted hearts and strait-edged hearts, elongated hearts and wide hearts...hearts of all shapes and sizes. Heart shapes make the perfect “I love you” cookie. I also used leaves and flowers for the bridal shower.
Sizes about 2 inches for the leaves and 3-4 inches for the hearts and flowers. 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
Greetings & Messages
square, circle, rectangle, triangle, free-form...numerous plaque shapes, plus straight, fluted, and zig-zag edges
Cookie Recipe from This Talented Cookie Artist
Brown-Butter Cookies. Original recipe from Sugar Hero.
My Own New (& Tweaked) Family Recipes
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.
Classic Sugar Cookie. A recipe based on one from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed.
Cookies
Brown-Butter: flour, brown butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
Shortbread: flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, granulated sugar, egg, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, salt
Icing & Decorations
Royal Icing: confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, food coloring
White Chocolate: sugar, cocoa butter, nonfat milk, vanilla
Box or Bags?
Box. Cookies were packaged in white cardboard bakery boxes with a clear window on top that made the contents visible to anyone who wanted to peek! Each box held 18 cookies.
Bags. The soft sugar cookies were intended as party favors, so I wrapped them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This also made the cookies stackable without causing damage to the decorations.
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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