Cat Decorated Cookies: How To Raise a Beautiful Cat
Introduction
Hey there, cookie enthusiasts and cat lovers! Ever wondered how to combine your two loves into one adorable, edible masterpiece? Well, look no further. Today, we’re diving into the world of cat decorated cookies using royal icing.
Why Choose Royal Icing?
Why royal icing, you ask? It’s smooth, it’s easy to work with, and it dries hard, making your intricate designs last longer. Plus, you can easily color it to create vibrant designs.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
The Cookie Dough
The dough is the foundation of your cookie, so it’s important to get it right. Most sugar cookie recipes will include butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. The butter should be softened but not melted, and the eggs should be at room temperature. If you want to get creative, you can add some flavorings like almond or lemon extract.
The Royal Icing
Royal icing is traditionally made with egg whites, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. The egg whites provide structure, the powdered sugar adds sweetness and thickness, and the lemon juice adds flavor and helps to stabilize the icing. If you are concerned about using raw egg whites, you can use pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder instead.
Optional Toppings
Think edible glitter, chocolate chips, edible markers, airbrushing, stencils, or anything else that tickles your fancy!
Decorating Techniques
Creating Fur Texture
To create a fur texture on your cat decorated cookies, you can use a small round tip and pipe tiny lines of icing close together. Start at the bottom and work your way up to create a natural fur pattern. You can use different colors to create patterns or shading.
Adding Facial Expressions
To add facial expressions, you can use a fine round tip and pipe small dots for eyes, a small line for the mouth, and tiny lines for the whiskers. If you want to get creative, you can add different expressions like happy, sad, or surprised.
Additional Elements
You can also add additional elements like a collar or paws. For a collar, you can use a small round tip and pipe a line of icing around the neck, then add small dots for the collar’s details. For paws, you can use a small round tip and pipe small ovals on the bottom of the cookie, then add small dots for the paw pads.
Essential Tools for Cookie Decorating
Creating beautifully decorated cookies starts with having the right tools on hand. Each tool plays a pivotal role in transforming simple ingredients into edible art. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned baker, these basic tools are essential for your cookie decorating journey:
Rolling Pin
- Even Dough Rolling: A quality rolling pin is indispensable for rolling out your cookie dough evenly. An even thickness is crucial for uniform baking.
- Non-Stick vs. Traditional: Consider a non-stick rolling pin to prevent dough from sticking, or opt for a traditional wooden rolling pin for a more classic approach.
Cookie Cutters
- Shaping Your Creations: Cookie cutters in various shapes, like adorable cats, stars, or hearts, are used to cut your rolled-out dough into desired shapes.
- Variety and Creativity: A diverse collection of cutter shapes allows for endless creativity. Cat-shaped cutters, for instance, are perfect for animal-themed parties or as a fun twist to traditional cookie shapes.
Piping Bags and Tips
- Precision in Decorating: Piping bags fitted with various tips are essential for applying intricate details to your cookies.
- Tip Variety: A selection of tips, such as round, star, and leaf tips, can provide different textures and effects for your cookie designs.
Food Coloring
- Bringing Colors to Life: Gel food coloring is ideal for tinting your icing without altering its consistency.
- Color Palette: Choose a range of colors to expand your decorating options. Vibrant colors can make your designs pop and bring your cookies to life.
Optional Tools
How about some edible markers or tiny decorative elements like edible pearls? Or use a cookie decorating projector?
Let’s Bake Some Cookies
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Mix in Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.
- Form the Dough: Once the mixture is evenly combined, divide the dough into two halves. Flatten each half into a disk and wrap them in plastic wrap.
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or until it’s firm enough to roll. This step is crucial as it helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Rolling Out the Dough: When you’re ready to make the cookies, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cutting Shapes: Use your chosen cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the rolled dough. If the dough becomes too soft or warm, return it to the fridge for a few minutes.
- Baking the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each cookie.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. The baking time may vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of your cookies.
- Cooling: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorating: Once the cookies are completely cooled, they are ready to be decorated with royal icing or your choice of decoration.
Royal Icing 101
Royal Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5-6 tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, for flavor)
- Gel food coloring (if desired)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder.
- Add Water and Vanilla: Add the warm water and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Start with 5 tablespoons of water and add more if needed.
- Beat the Mixture: Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on low to combine, then increase to high speed. Beat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the icing forms stiff, glossy peaks. The icing should hold its shape; if it’s too stiff, add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- Coloring the Icing: If you plan to use different colors, divide the icing into separate bowls. Add gel food coloring to each bowl and mix thoroughly to achieve the desired color. Remember, a little goes a long way with gel coloring.
- Consistency Adjustments:
- For outlining cookies, the icing should be thick enough to hold its shape.
- For flooding (filling in areas), thin the icing with a small amount of water until it reaches a honey-like consistency.
- Storage: If not using immediately, cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the icing to prevent it from drying out.
- Preparing Piping Bags: Spoon the icing into piping bags fitted with the desired tip. For detailed work, use a smaller round tip. For flooding, a tip isn’t always necessary; you can just snip a small corner off the piping bag.
- Decorating: Now you’re ready to decorate your cookies. Outline the edges first, then flood the inside. Use a toothpick or a scribe tool to spread the icing and pop any air bubbles.
Tips for Coloring
A drop of food coloring goes a long way. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
Decorating Time
- Outlining the Cookies: Start by piping an outline around the edges of your cookies. This acts as a “fence” for the following steps.
- Filling In The Details: Now for the fun part! Fill in your outlines with more icing.
- Creative Touches: Get whimsical with your designs! Think stripes, spots, or whatever your cat-creative heart desires.
- Adding Whiskers and Eyes: Tiny lines for whiskers and small dots for eyes give life to your cookie cats.
Tips for Stunning Cat Cookies
Consistency is Key
The icing needs to be just right—not too thick and not too runny.
Allow Drying Time
Patience is a virtue, especially when you’re waiting for icing to dry. You can use a cookie dehydrator to accelerate the process.
Troubleshooting
Icing is Too Runny
If your icing is too runny, it means you need to add more powdered sugar. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Icing is Too Thick
If your icing is too thick, you can add a few drops of lemon juice or water until it reaches the desired consistency. Be careful not to add too much liquid, or you will have to add more powdered sugar to thicken it up again.
Broken Cookie
If your cat decorated cookie breaks, don’t worry! You can use royal icing as a glue to stick the pieces back together. Just pipe a thin line of icing along the broken edge and press the pieces together. Allow the icing to dry completely before decorating.
Storage and Shelf Life
Storing Decorated Cookies
Once your cat decorated cookies are decorated and the icing has dried completely, you can store them in an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper between each layer of cookies to prevent them from sticking together.
Shelf Life
Your cat decorated cookies will keep for about 1-2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to keep them longer, you can freeze the undecorated cookies and decorate them later.
Freezing Cookies
To freeze undecorated cookies, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or plastic bag, placing parchment paper between each layer of cookies.
Tips for Kids
Using Squeeze Bottles
Piping bags can be difficult for small hands to manage, so you might want to use squeeze bottles instead. They are easier to handle and less messy.
Decorating with Edible Markers
Edible markers are a great way for kids to add details to their cookies without the mess of icing. They can draw on the cookies once the icing has dried completely.
Making It a Group Activity
Making a cat decorated cookies is a great group activity. You can make the cookies and icing ahead of time, then set up a decorating station with different colors of icing, squeeze bottles, edible markers, and various decorations like edible glitter or sprinkles. Then, let the kids’ imaginations run wild!
Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and let your creativity shine! Happy decorating!
Conclusion
Congratulations, you’ve just entered the delightful realm of cat decorated cookies! With a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of love, your cookies will surely be the talk of the town.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use any cookie dough?
You can, but sugar cookie dough works best for detailed designs. - How long does royal icing last?
Stored properly, it can last up to two weeks. - Do I have to use food coloring?
No, but it adds a nice touch to your creations. - What’s the best way to store decorated cookies?
An airtight container keeps them fresh and protects your designs. - Can kids partake in cookie decorating?
Absolutely, it’s a fun activity for all ages!
Resources
