For a short bonus blog, please let me share the creative products of some cookie-decorating classes. 

These are the products of campers ranging from 7 to 14 years of age.  The younger ones often make the most creative designs. 

Enjoy!

Steve Sir

PS  A few campers asked for “the recipe” so here it is.

Easy No- Chill Sugar Cookies

Ingredients  

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla 

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  In mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla. 

3.  Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, add to butter mixture one cup at a time, mixing after each addition.  

4.  Do not chill dough.  Divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface with a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12” wide and 1/8” thick.  Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out cookies.

5.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 5-6 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

6.  Cool then ice.

Royal Icing

3 cups powdered sugar

2 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

A tablespoon or so of water

Mix first three ingredients on medium speed of an electric mixer to incorporate powdered sugar. Add vanilla and mix on medium speed to incorporate into mixture.  Turn mixer to high for three minutes.   Add water to adjust consistency.  

For piping consistency, a thread of icing dripped across the bowl of icing should be reincorporated into the icing in 10-12 seconds.  This consistency is used to put an outline around the edge of the cookies and/or to add raised decorations on top. 

For flooding consistency, a thread of icing dripped across the bowl of icing should be reincorporated into the icing in 5-6 seconds.  This consistency is used to flood inside the outline and to add decorations that will become flush with the rest of the icing surface.  

YouTube videos are fun and helpful. 

Put icing in pastry tubes, clip end and start decorating,