Decorated cookie It’s a super common gift and easier to make than you think. It all starts with a Cookie Dough versatile and delicious.
Who doesn’t love a buttery biscuit, right? This decorated cookie dough is called Sugar Cookies (sugar cookie) in the United States and you’ve probably seen it around.
It was with this dough that I made some of my creations in the past, such as the Periodic Table and my edible CV. Yes, all the letters were made out of cookie dough. Another project that I used cookie dough, but in a different style, was my Christmas house in the shape of TARDIS. And my edible version of Silver Play Button do YouTube.
Cookie dough decorated in cursive letter format:
Little Christmas house (gingerbread house cookie), but in the shape of TARDIS. The dough is gingerbread cookie, but the construction technique works for both decorated cookie doughs. And next to it is the completely edible Silver Play Button from YouTube.
Cookie Dough Tips
- If the cookie has bubbles or not so smooth therefore, it may be excess chemical baking powder or sodium bicarbonate, I suggest reducing or removing. In my recipe I don’t use either one.
- When baking, the dough will expand a little. To minimize the degree of deformation, I suggest baking the frozen dough. Cut the desired shape and before baking, place in the freezer for 5-8 minutes to firm up the dough.
- The thickness of the dough should maximum 5mm, generally 3-4 mm for normal sized cookies. If you are going to make more artistic-construction biscuits that are large (over 15 cm), I suggest that they be 5 mm to provide more support and support their own weight.
- To make the sides straight and free of burrs: sand! No, not with sandpaper, but with a grater like microplane. He manages to make it really smooth.
Substitutions for Cookie Dough
- Anticipating the question: yes, it can be used Margarine in place of butter in the same quantity. But it needs to be culinary margarine and not to spread it on bread, which is very soft. And as much as it pains me to say, the cookie made with margarine reminds me of the cookies we’re used to eating. It has that nostalgic flavor that a lot of people might like. And the vast majority won’t notice the difference, yes, it hurts to say that, but it’s the truth.
- Another option is interesterified vegetable fat (old hydrogenated vegetable fat). In this version, there are some changes: 190g vegetable fat and 30g water. Water is added along with the egg in preparation mode. It is the dough with the most neutral flavor of all, it just tastes sweet. I suggest you add more vanilla essence, about 10g. And of the versions, it is the one that deforms the least.
Storing Cookie Dough
- The dough can be made and frozen: divide the dough into two parts, wrap very well with plastic wrap and freeze in the freezer. It lasts for up to 3 months frozen in freezers that reach at least -18ºC.
- Store the already baked biscuits in a closed container to prevent them from absorbing moisture, they actually last a long time. But the fresher they are consumed, the better.
Decorated Cookie Dough (Sugar Cookies)
Makes: 20 medium biscuits (800g)
Cookie Dough
- 200 g butter without salt (chilled; can be with salt)
- 200 g refined sugar
- 1 ovo (ice cream)
- 420 g wheat flour
- 8 g vanilla essence (transparent)
Flavorings
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon clove powder (optional)
- 1 soup spoon cocoa powder (optional)
1 cup: 250mL | 1 tablespoon: 15mL.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC if you are going to bake straight away. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar until very creamy, about 1-2 minutes, with a paddle attachment.
- Add egg (if using vegetable shortening, add water at this stage), vanilla and continue beating to combine well, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the flour and mix well until uniform. If you use any of the flavorings, add them at this stage as well.
- The dough is crumbly, bring it together with your hands. If it’s a very hot day, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a clean surface sprinkled with wheat flour. You can use a silicone mat or baking paper, in these cases, the amount of flour is minimal.
- The thickness of the dough should be between 3-5 mm and place in the freezer to firm up for 5 minutes.
- Cut into the desired shape, transfer to the lined baking tray and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, it should be slightly golden around the edges. Very lightly. Baking time will vary depending on the shape of the cookie, so try to bake the same shapes at the same time.
- Remove from the oven, leave to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Adapted: Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies
- Margarine: if you want to use culinary margarine in place of butter in the same quantity. But it needs to be culinary margarine, spreading it on bread is too moldy
- Hydrogenated vegetable fat): you can swap the butter for shortening vegetal interesterificada (formerly hydrogenated fat), but the quantity changes, being: 190g of vegetable fat and 30g water. The dough with this change is the one that deforms the least when baking. The flavor is super neutral, I recommend increasing the amount of vanilla essence to 10g.
- Yeast: the dough does not contain yeast or bicarbonate. If you want a more airy biscuit, add 3g of chemical yeast, but as I said, it can create bubbles on the surface of the biscuit.
- Essence: I recommend adding some essence, whether vanilla or almonds. The dough itself doesn’t taste like anything, it’s just sweet. So, an essence or extract helps to give it a flavor.
- Storage: if you are not going to use it now, divide the dough into two parts and pack it very well. Refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Portion: 100g | Calories: 192kcal (10%) | Carbohydrates: 26g (9%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Fat: 9g (14%) | Saturated fat: 5g (31%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monosaturated Fat: 2g | Trans fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 30mg (10%) | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 34mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 10g (11%) | Vitamin A: 262IU (5%) | Vitamin B2: 0mg (6%) | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 8mg (1%) | Ferro: 1mg (6%)
