Christmas cookie decorating tips
Bethany Bruni of Dixie Cookie Co.
Provided by Bethany Bruni
MONROE — Holiday bakers, there’s good news! The Monroe News asked some of the experts in the area for advice on making the best Christmas cookies and they’ve agreed to tell a few of their “secrets” to successful holiday baking. But possibly the best news is these bakers are also taking preholiday orders, which may be an easier recipe to follow.
At Icing Bakehouse, 114 W. Front St. in Monroe, owner Briana Mendez-Stafford recommends having all ingredients at room temperature.
“When preparing your dough, make sure your eggs and butter are the same temperature. If they are different temperatures, your cookies will come out different textures,” Briana Mendez-Stafford said. “And don’t over mix the dough or it will be dry and crumbly.”
Icing Bakehouse will take cookie orders until Dec. 16. Customers can call the bakery at 734-597-2011 or place an online order via email using the shop’s website.
When the dough is ready, LeAnn Morgan of Baker’s Pantry & Supply at 513 N. Telegraph Road, suggests making sure the dough is level once it’s rolled out and the same thickness before reaching for that favorite cookie cutter.
The shop carries more than 400 different cookie cutters and offers frozen cut-out cookies to take home to bake along with frostings and topping options like sprinkles. DIY cookie kits are also available. They have a large selection of candy making and baking supplies, including cake decorating equipment.
Baker’s Pantry & Supply will offer cookie trays. Orders should be placed by Dec. 17 using messenger on Baker’s Facebook page or by calling the store at 734-344-7169.
Once those delectable confections are baked, the staff at Cakes by Stephanie, 207 N. Monroe St., says to make sure the cookies are completely cooled before icing.
The North Monroe bakery is taking cookie orders, placed in store or online, until Dec. 15. For more information, call 734-240-2253 or go online.
Bethany Bruni, owner of Dixie Cookie Co. in Newport, specializes in custom sugar cookies. When it comes to frosting cookies, Bruni recommends blending frosting colors when wet and making sure colors are the same consistency.
“Once they are frosted, leave them out overnight to dry so that the frosting can crust over,” Bethany Bruni said.
Until Dec. 14, Dixie Cookie Co. will take orders. All Christmas cookie orders must be picked up by Dec. 21. She will also offer boxed DIY kits with baked cookies and frosting. You can check out Dixie Cookie Co.’s Facebook page and use the pinned link to preorder.
Baking warriors will want to check out this cookie recipe from The Monroe News’ food writer, the late Kim Domick.
The recipe writer shared one of her most treasured sugar cookie recipes in her December 2018 column, Cooking with Kim. It’s from her grandmother called “Easy One Bowl Sugar Cookies.”
In her column, Kim wrote, “I baked a batch of these cookies with my mom recently and they were seriously the best butter sugar cookies that I have ever tasted. The recipe is so simple that it will make the ‘slice and bake store tube’ seem like torture. They bake perfectly and do not spread out or lose their shape and come out of the oven crisp and deliciously buttery.”
THE COOKIE RECIPE
This recipe, much like a shortbread cookie, uses no leavening.
2½ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 sticks softened salted butter, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons softened cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
Sift the flour and sugar in a bowl.
Using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer), start mixing on low, and add the butter 1-2 chunks at a time until the mixture looks crumbly.
Add the vanilla and cream cheese and continue mixing until the dough has large clumps in it.
Remove the mixture to a parchment-lined work surface and knead with your hands until the dough comes together.
Divide into three pieces and flatten each one into a round disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Bring out the dough one disk at a time and roll between two pieces of waxed paper or parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness.
Cut out the dough with your favorite cookie cutters and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake one sheet at a time in a 375-degree oven for 10 minutes or until done-depending on the size of your cutters. Keep additional disks chilled until ready to roll and bake. Cool the cookies completely before icing. Makes about 30 cookies.
COOKIE GLAZE
1½ cups of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon softened cream cheese
3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon almond extract
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and using a hand mixer, add the cream cheese, milk and extract. Beat until well combined.
Tint with coloring if desired. Make enough to ice one batch of cookies.