Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog

Posts Tagged ‘christmas cookies’

Cookie arrangements are a lovely and delicious idea. What they consist of are cookie pops. They can be sugar or other types of cookies made by you. You simply insert a lollipop stick in each one before you bake it and then you’ll be able to set up a gorgeous arrangement. Cookie arrangements make great gifts for everyone on your list.

First, think about the types of containers you want to give your bouquets in. Coffee mugs or a vase stuffed with oasis floral foam work well. But anything that will support the cookies and allow them to stand up straight is fine, too. You can also arrange your cookies in a flat box like roses. They will make a stunning entrance.

You’ll start by baking your sugar cookies. These are the type of cookies that work best as you can decorate them most beautifully. They are by no means the only cookies you can use and you may even want to include various cookie recipes in your arrangement.

The key is to insert the lollipop stick before baking. Try to do it after the cookies are baked and you risk having a crumbling cookie on your hands. Get the large lolly sticks at your craft store or online. Then you can make a long stemmed bouquet. Or, if you’re planning on using your bouquets for table top favors or displays at a dinner or party, get the smaller sticks and do shorter arrangements.

The whole idea is to make the cookies delicious and lovely. So you’re going to need to think about how you’ll decorate. Buy colorful sanding sugars, icing and a cookie cutter or two that matches the occasion. For Valentine’s Day, you might make heart pops and for Easter you might make egg-shaped cookie pops. It can be reindeer for Christmas or even clovers for St. Patrick’s Day. Get creative, send your dentist cookies shaped like teeth. Now make a list of the colors and shapes you’ll need before setting out to the baking supply or craft store.

Use any recipe you like and then insert the sticks. Simply place a stick in the bottom of each cookie while it is lying flat on the cookie sheet. Don’t try to insert the stick and then move the cookie to the sheet. It will fall apart. Insert the stick part way. You won’t want to have any stick showing out of the top, so just about half way is good.

After the cookies are baked and cooled, decorate them. Then you can start arranging them. Decide if you’ll want to house each individual cookie in a cellophane bag with a ribbon, or just leave it as is as part of the bouquet. If you have to transport or store the cookies, definitely wrap them. But if they’re for an indoor party at your home, there’s no need to wrap them unless they’ll be standing for a few days.

Start arranging the cookies by sticking them into floral foam or Styrofoam placed in the bottom of the container. You can add more or less depending on how full you want your arrangement to be. Then you can decorate the jar or mug any way you like. Paint it or tie ribbon on it. It’s up to you. The more decorative, the better.

Give the bouquet right away before the cookies turn hard and inedible.

Jerry Seinfeld made it famous and New Yorkers have claimed them as their own. The black and white cookie is in a class all by itself. Anyone who has ever eaten one can tell you why.

In an episode called, “The Dinner Party,” Jerry Seinfeld, on his namesake show, eats a black and white cookie while waiting for his friend Elaine to come out of a New York bakery. Jerry likens the cookie to a perfect metaphor for racial harmony. He advises that everyone should “Look to the cookie!” for world peace.

Despite the hilarity of the situation, the cookie has always been a serious New York icon. The iced cookies are simply a circular shortbread, sponge-like cake/cookie that is frosted on one-half of the top in chocolate fondant and the other half in vanilla fondant. The icing is sweet and when combined with the cake-like texture of the cookie, is pure eating delight.

The origin of the black and white cookie is really a mystery. It may have something to do with a cookie called the Half Moon which originated in upstate New York. The cookies look similar, but are actually quite different in texture. So, any stories traced back to the Half Moon fizzle out when held under scrutiny. The mysterious black and white has no definite birth place. But New Yorkers are still crazy about it nonetheless.

The black and white is a bakery favorite in its larger version as well as in its mini version. Grocery stores have tried to emulate that classic flavor and texture, but end up falling short. Perhaps only a hand-made batch of batter can turn out the perfect black and white. Maybe it needs to be made by someone’s Uncle Joe in a basement bakery in Brooklyn to taste right.

Anyone visiting New York City, in addition to seeing the Statue of Liberty and eating a dirty water hot dog from a street vendor should rush to a bakery and grab hold of a luscious black and white cookie. It matters little whether you eat the vanilla or the chocolate side first. One bite and you’ll be hooked. You may require weekly shipments of cookie boxes to your home after that first delicate bite. Or, you can try making them yourself if you dare. Here’s how.

This recipe is from epicurious.com.

Black and White Cookies

For cookies

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

For icings

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 to 2 tablespoons water

• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Make cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes.

Make icings while cookies chill:
Stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

Ice cookies:
Turn cookies flat sides up, then spread white icing over half of each and chocolate over other half.

Cookie stamping is easily one of the most exciting parts of baking these days. You can buy a cookie stamp from any kitchen supplier. They come in lovely decorative designs from the simple to the ornate. You can use plain sugar cookie dough to turn out adorable and festive cookies with a cookie stamp.

If you don’t want to buy your cookie stamp, try your hand at making your own. It’s not that hard, but it may take a little practice.

If you’re a natural artist, you’ll have no trouble drawing your design. But if, like most of us, you’ll need a little inspiration in the design department, go online or look through books and find a decorative motif that you like. Make sure it’s not so intricate that you will have trouble getting it into cookie form.

The material for making a cookie stamp? The humble potato! Yes, with a simple potato you can carve out a stamp that will work for your cookies. Cut a clean potato in half. If you’re going to cut freehand, carefully start carving your design on the end of the potato. Be sure to remember that any raised surfaces will be indented in the cookie, so carve in reverse. What you want to stick out of the cookie should be carved into the stamp.

If you’re going to use the help of a printed design, go ahead and tape the design to the top of the potato. It will be a bit moist and slimy, so you will want to leave some paper overlap around your design and then use masking tape which will stick better than clear tape.

Once your design is taped down, begin carving away any white that is not part of the design. Your design should remain after you are finished carving. You should only see the black of the design. Remove the paper and you’re ready to stamp cookies. Choose a heart stamp for a perfect valentine cookie.

Use a favorite cookie dough recipe. You can find them online or in any baking cook book. Using rolled cookie dough from a store may present some challenges as those cookies are not meant to be anything but slice and bake. They tend to flatten out in the oven and will not hold a design very well. But try them if you want. You may just want to add some more flour to them by rolling them on a floury surface.

All sugar cookie doughs will need to be refrigerated so the butter can set up. Don’t skip this step or your cookies will not turn out the way you want them to. Roll balls of cookie dough out on your work surface. Dust your stamp in flour before each stamping. Then stamp into the cookie with moderate pressure. It should flatten out the ball and create a stamped design. It should not be so flat that the cookie is nearly see-through. Thin cookies like that will burn.

Once ready, line your cookies on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake them for the time that is listed in the recipe. Create a flower stamp for a beautiful cookie flower arrangement.  But check them often to see that they are not burning. Every oven is different and stamps can provide an uneven surface that may bake differently from a flat cookie. Enjoy your efforts with a glass of milk!

What will draw the kids in even faster than a fresh baked cookie right out of the oven? A fresh baked cookie lollipop! Cookies on sticks have become very popular. When done in a smaller version with a small stick, they can be made to look like lollipops.

To make cookie lollipops, start by baking up your favorite recipe for cookies. You will want a cookie like a sugar cookie so that you can cut shapes out. Stars, hearts, circles and other simple shapes work best. Try to avoid using heavy cookie batters like chocolate chip, oatmeal, or anything with big chunks in them. You can use those types of cookies, but the heavier the batter, the more likely the cookie will fall off the stick.

You will need to purchase lollipop sticks from a craft store. They are very inexpensive and are found in the candy-making aisle. You will see them next to the candy molds. Grab a few packs so you have extras for next time you want to make them.

The whole key to the lollipop cookie is to insert the stick into raw dough only about halfway through the cookie. If you don’t insert the stick when the batter is raw, you’ll never get it in without breaking the cookie. And if you don’t insert it at least halfway in, you’ll risk the cookie falling off the stick. Make sure it’s sturdy and that the stick is not poking out of the batter anywhere. If your cookies are too thin, you may have a problem with cracking and breakage when you try to lift them.

Bake your cookies as your recipe dictates. You don’t have to do anything different. But you will want the cookie sheet to be greased so you won’t have to pry the cookies off the pan and risk breaking them. After the cookies have baked, resist the urge to pick them up by the stick while they are cooling. You will need to let them cool completely so they harden enough to form around the stick.

Once cookies are cool, you can decorate them by dipping them in melted chocolate and sprinkles or frosting them and dusting them with sanding sugar. If you want to add any candy elements to the frosting, you can do it after the cookies are cooled.

Have fun trying out different recipes and different shapes. You could create a cookie bouquet for any holiday such as New Years, birthday parties, or make heart-shaped lollipops for Valentine's Day cookies. Just be sure that you don’t roll your cookies too thin or you will have a hard time getting the lollipop sticks to stay in the cut-outs before and after baking.

When the pops are all cooled and decorated, get some florist foam or a Styrofoam block and stick the cookies into it. Then you can cover the Styrofoam with a cloth or bandana and insert them into a clean flowerpot and give a cookie flower bouquet. Once they are anchored in the foam they won’t move. You can even wrap the basket in clear cellophane so that they can be transported without getting damaged. Tie a bright ribbon and a tag on and you’ve got yourself a lovely homemade cookie lollipop bouquet. It doesn’t take much time and is much cheaper to do than buying a cookie bouquet.

If you’re planning on doing a mega-marathon baking session this holiday season, you’ll need to figure out how and where you’re going to store your cookies until you distribute them. There are many ways you can preserve them so that you can bake ahead of time.

Many people choose to bake ten or more cookie recipes starting as early as October. They keep their cookies fresh for the giving in December by storing them in the freezer. Some avid bakers have even gone as far as buying a second freezer just for the purpose of storing their Christmas cookies!

Your regular freezer will do just fine. Plan to use up most of your freezable foods before your first cookie baking session. You’ll need the room. The last thing you want is frozen vegetables toppling over onto your cookies or having to cram your cookies in causing them to break. If you put the hard work in, you want them to remain intact.

After you’ve baked and cooled your first batch of cookies, you’ll be ready to store them. In the space you’ve created in the freezer, find a flat surface. Lay a row of six cookies down on plastic wrap. Put a sheet of wax paper between them. Continue layering this way until you have a stack of cookies five or six high. It’s better to make skinny stacks than wider stacks. That way you can slip them into narrower spaces. When you’ve completed your final layer, wrap the entire bundle in another layer of plastic wrap. Then do an outer wrap of aluminum foil. Two would be even better. You’re aiming to keep freezer burn, which can spoil your cookies, out. You may even want to place the whole stack into a zippered freezer bag. Stores now sell aluminum foil and freezer bags especially designed to keep freezer burn away from foods. It’s worth investing in a stash.

If you follow these steps, your cookies will be safely stored for a few months. That means you can start baking in fall for the winter holidays. Aim to stagger your baking so you bake a batch every week or so. That way you won’t feel overwhelmed and you’ll still enjoy the baking process.

When it’s time to distribute the cookies, take them out of the freezer and leave them on the counter to thaw. Don’t unwrap them until they are no longer cool to the touch. Start arranging cookies on pretty trays. You can place a paper doily on the bottom of the cookies before you start to give a little extra special look. Try to alternate cookie types so that your tray looks well-rounded.

Cover the cookie arrangements with pretty red or green plastic wrap. Add a festive bow. And, of course, after all your hard work you’ll definitely want to put a tag on your trays letting them know who baked them. Another nice touch is to include the recipes you used on index cards. This not only allows the recipient to make the cookies themselves if they choose but it also alerts them to the ingredients you used in case they have any allergies.

Cookies are a great way to share the joy of the season. Bake ahead and store well, and you’ll be sure to have incredibly delectable cookies to share.

Learn how to make different types of  Christmas cookies!