Figgy Pudding Cookies

Posted on December 18, 2014 by melissajoycookies

I have never eaten figgy pudding, nor do I exactly know what it is. I know the Muppets sang about it. Does that count?

All I know is that I wanted to make a cookie version when I came across some darling felt figgy pudding ornaments on Pinterest. To clarify, these are cookies that look like figgy pudding, not taste like it. They are soft gingerbread. Mmmmm, gingerbread….does figgy pudding taste like gingerbread?

It’s a simple design that started with a skull cutter, which a cookie friend insisted I own. Why own this cutter? Because it’s so darn versatile! It can make figgy pudding cookies! Who knew! Well, she probably knew…she’s amazing like that.

First outline and flood the icing portion of the pudding.

I didn’t know which I’d like better; a sanding sugar version or a non-sugared version, so I did both. You should add the sanding sugar while the icing is still wet, if you go that route.

After that sets up, add brown “pudding” and leaves or holly greens to the top. My first idea was to create berries with icing and sugar, as shown…

But then I realized I could make things even easier by using red M&M’s. I used minis here because I had them in the pantry. Adhere them with icing and you’ve got instant decoration. Gumdrops would also be an excellent choice for berries because of their sparkle, and who wouldn’t love a little sparkle with their Christmas pudding! I finished up the detailing with my trusty FooDoodlers.

Now, how easy is that?!

Do you partake in figgy pudding? Or Christmas pudding? Are they the same thing? Man, I better do my baking homework…right after I eat a few these.

Christmas Tree Farm Cookies

Posted on December 14, 2014 by melissajoycookies

As soon as I spied these straws, I knew exactly what I would make with them. That was in August.

Their wood grain immediately had me thinking Christmas tree farm and the idea eventually became a classroom treat!

First gather up your little trees, any design you please…

I used my wonderful FooDoodlers to help with the details of the sign and the Christmas tree faces. Edible markers make things easy peasy!

To assemble the tree trunks, cut the straws in half and put a squirt of icing on the back of each cookie. While the icing is wet, stick the straw into it. Dry them over night to make sure the trunks stay put.

Personalizing the trees with each student’s name would be a great alternative to a face, but you know I can’t stay away from a sweet little face…so faces it is!

I can’t wait to share these with my son’s class! Thankfully, he’s still young enough to need classroom treats. 🙂

Woodland Christmas Hedgehogs with Haniela’s

Posted on December 4, 2014 by melissajoycookies

I’ve been immersed in a woodland winter wonderland of ideas just waiting to be created! The reason being that dear Hani, of Haniela’s, had asked me to be a part of a woodland Christmas collaboration, of which I enthusiastically said YES. The result on my end was this little holiday hedgehog, settling down for a long winter’s nap.

The origins of this gal came from the work of Naturalmente and the felt Winter Berry Hedgehog she crafted that I found on Pinterest (her Etsy shop has super adorable pieces!). I asked permission to cookie her hedgie and she sweetly agreed, then I sent the finished product to her in Hungary as token of my appreciation!

If you opt for an edible version of this holiday hedgehog, the steps are rather simple.

I had the perfect shaped cookie cutter for my hedgehog’s spines (you can find it here), but you could use a scalloped round or sunflower cutter just as well.

I love coarse sugar this season! It’s chunkier than sanding sugar, gives off a super sparkle and has a great crunch. I thought it gave a great textured look to the cookie base.

For the body, ice the oval first and let set a bit before doing the ears, so the stay segmented. I used CK black sugar pearls for the nose, but you could pipe it with royal icing as well. The pearls were one less color of icing to mix, which is always a win in my book!

I made sleepy eyes with my food writer and used icing for the feet and holly berries. Once the feet set up, you can add a small toe detail. After the two cookies dry, adhere them together with a squirt of icing.

And with that, your holiday hedgehog is ready!

While the hedgie is the main event, the background I put them on deserves a bit of mentioning. The long, rectangle cookies were iced with a woodgrain pattern using a wet-on-wet technique. The fun part came by embellishing them with wafer paper snowflakes that I sprayed with food color mist and cut out with a paper punch. A fabulous tutorial by my friend Yankee Girl Yummies about working with wafer paper can be read here. She’s a wealth of information and talent!

I adhered the snowflakes with a touch of corn syrup and my food-only paintbrush. The end of the brush helped to tack down the edges with a gentle tapping.

The result was a festive bed for my winter woodland hedgehog!

If you love a woodland Christmas theme as much as I do, make sure you check out my co-collaborator Hani and her Christmas owls. Aren’t they great?! She’s done a video tutorial on them as well, which makes it even easier to learn how to create them!

Christmas Owl by Haniela's

What a festive way to celebrate the winter holiday!

Woodland Christmas Log Cookies

Posted on November 30, 2014 by melissajoycookies

When you’re a baker, holiday cookie designs begin long before it’s appropriate to even think about Christmas. You can ask just about any of us crazies, and we will admit to it. We also have a hard time keeping them under wraps until after Thanksgiving, and a few ideas may sneak out before then, but we can’t help it. We are too excited!

For Christmas inspiration, I’ve had an ongoing holiday Pinterest board and these wood log cookies were my first to create from it. It seems like I am not the only one to jump on the woodland theme this year, and for sure, I will not be the last. I love to see everyone’s interpretations!
Here’s my little how-to on creating a bit of woodland cookie love for your holiday table. I started with this gingerbread recipe from Sweetopia, but altered the spices a bit. The recipe is fantastic and delicious! I highly recommend it if you like a soft crumb, and the dark brown cookie makes a great base for icing, in my opinion.

I didn’t have the exact shape I wanted for this design, so for several cookies I had to “cut and paste” the dough together to make a leaf addition to the side. Once the decoration is on, you’ll never tell! I used coarse sugar on the edges, instead of sanding sugar, to convey a more bark like quality. It also has a great crunch! Let these steps set up for a bit before moving on to the next.

Those swirls are super easy to do. I started in the center and worked my way out, stopping and starting the flow of icing as I went to create a woodgrain look. It doesn’t have to be perfect because a rustic feel works with these! You could try this technique wet on wet, but I liked the texture of this method better.

I wanted to make these wood log cookies have a Christmas feel, so I added a tiny holly decoration. And a mushroom to a few. They were too darn cute not to be added. 🙂

I’m not sure these log cookies say “Christmas” enough, but maybe with a few snowflake or tree cookies along side them, they could work as a great holiday platter. Or maybe a few woodland critters in winter weather gear? If I get around to something like that, I will be sure to share it here. Or if you do, let me know…I’d love to see what you create!

Let the holiday baking commence!

Linked to: Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

Easy Ghost and Mummy Cookies for Halloween!

Posted on September 29, 2014 by melissajoycookies

It turns out my youngest is a bit scared of Halloween this year. So much so, he may choose to stay home instead of trick-or-treating. Not even the lure of candy will get him out there. I’m not sure what spurred this sudden wariness about the holiday, but I know he’s freaked out by the creepy stuff, and that I completely understand. I have never been to a haunted house, enjoyed being frightened, or wanted to watch gory movies. Blech. Call me a wimp, but it’s just not my thing. In my world, Halloween is full of cute stuff.

To help him cope with his worry, I decided to try and make the sweetest Halloween cookies I could and these were the result. SO CUTE, right? Not only that, but pretty easy too! I’ll show you just how easy, starting with the ghosts…

1. My ghost cookie was made with a skull cookie cutter, just the right size for the design. The first step is making the head and giving it a little swirl at the top. Place the candy pearl eyes in position while the icing is still wet. I forgot a few times, and well, they don’t stick when the icing sets! Alternatively, you could pipe the eyes on, but I liked the look of the pearls better.

2. Allow the head to dry a bit, then give the ghost a body. I gave the “girl” a scalloped bottom and the “boy” swoosh.

3. After this has set several hours or overnight, you can add the details. Little lashes for the girls and eyebrows for the boys using a food writer. The ladies got a flower candy sprinkle and a bit of bling, while the boys received a bow tie made with two heart sprinkles and a dot of RI. Add a sweet smile and you’re DONE!

Not so bad, right? Next up, and my favorite of the two designs, an easy mummy cookie!

1. The dough started out as a bear, but with an quick trim, it became the perfect mummy body. A gingerbread cookie cutter would work as well.

2. Ice the head and body and set the candy pearl eyes in place. Just a note that I use the CK brand of sugar pearls. I found the Wilton black pearls to bleed a lot and that really annoyed me. (A special thanks to Make Me Cake Me for her help on this matter! 🙂 )

3. I added the arms and legs and shaped them a bit with my scribe tool as shown.

4. Let the body dry for several hours or overnight. Add lashes with a food writer for the ladies and eyebrows for the guys. It is a good idea to place the features now and work around them in the next step. If not, your lines can get in the way of his/her face.

5. Using a thicker black RI, go willy nilly with your mummy wrap!

6. You can add a flower sprinkle at the top for the girls and as a boutonniere for the boys, using a drop of RI to adhere them. After that, you’re finished!

Come on now…there is not a stitch of spookiness with these Halloween cookies, is there?! They should pass the ultimate cute test. All treats, no tricks, I say!

Go Bo! Foundation.org

Once these were finished, I decided they would be perfect as my contribution to an amazing event, the GO BO! Foundation Bake Sale. Held in Door County, WI, this will be the third year of cookies that Pay It Forward and in a BIG way. Cookie artists from every state and many countries have agreed to donate their sweets out of LOVE and COMPASSION, to raise money in honor of an incredible boy who lost his battle with cancer, and who’s mother created a foundation set up in his name. As bakers, we are just trying to live out his wishes to be kind to each other and help one another out, the best way we know how…by sharing our talents to do good, one cookie at a time.

You can read Bo and Annika’s personal story here (make sure you have tissues), find out about the epic bake sale on the Facebook page Go Bo Foundation Bake Sale, and learn more regarding the foundation at www.gobofoundation.org.

Back To School Tic-Tac-Toe Cookies

Posted on August 24, 2014 by melissajoycookies

It was right before we left for our last vacation of the summer that I thought of the idea for a back to school version of my tic-tac-toe cookie obsession. I think I’ve done five different themes so far…maybe six…

Even though I am in denial I will have to set an alarm and drag the kids out of bed to get ready in the morning, I must be subconsciously preparing myself. I know there are some of you that have already begun, but I’m not rushing our after Labor Day start of the new year.

To make the kids transition a bit easier too, I figured a cookie game might help shift their mindset. A little anyway. And speaking of little, here are the mini pieces I chose for my back to school tic-tac-toe set…

I decided on these five designs and worked with what cookie cutters I had. Just a note that I did trim a small part off of the square to make the notebook paper more rectangular. The pencil was made using a mini holly leaf with the sides trimmed like so:

Mini cookies can be tedious to make, but turn out so darn cute. Especially with a tiny smiley face. I can never resist the face!

Here is a brief lowdown on the tic-tac-toe cookie board, if you are so inclined to make your own. It measures around 6 inches by 6 inches square…

Not so hard, right? An “A+” for you!

We’ve only got 6 days left to enjoy the city pool before they close for the season, so I’ve kept this post short and sweet and full of photos.

Priorities, you know.

Enjoy the last of the summer, if you’re not in your desks yet, and wishing you all a stellar school year!

Uncle Sam Cookies

Posted on June 18, 2014 by melissajoycookies

Doesn’t it seem, every year, in a blink of an eye it’s July 4th?! I decided to get ahead of the game this year. I spotted a few Uncle Sam items in the craft stores months ago and tucked that little bit of inspiration away for future cookies. See? It’s not such a bad thing they get the decor out WAY too early. While many scoff at this insane notion to stock shelves with holiday merchandise LONG before it’s appropriate, I am snapping pictures with my phone and making mental notes for cookies. It’s a sickness, this baking addiction.

I am feeling that in the cookie world, old Uncle Sam could be the new trend for the 4th of July holiday. Like sweet Mrs. Claus was this past Christmas, after this awesome creation by Sugared Hearts Bakery made the Facebook rounds. It inspired many of us cookie peeps to make a version of their own. Me included! But, we’re not talking Christmas in July here, we are talking actual JULY. Though I did use Santa cookie cutters to make Uncle Sam….so maybe we are…it’s a blurred line.

Here’s a little info on how I created my man, Uncle Sam. I created two versions, one with a few less steps than the other. Let’s start with the bigger guy!

These are the cutters I used to get the desired shape I had in mind. Think big beard and tall hat, then dig through your cookie cutters for the right look.

Decorate as shown above. I let each section dry a bit before moving on to the next.

Add face and feature details. I added a few star sprinkles to make it extra festive.

Big Uncle Sam cookie finished, but he needs a buddy! Moving on to the little Sam then…

This design was one I wanted to try based on the Santa Gnomes I made this past Christmas.

Again, I let the icing dry a bit before moving on to the next section. Add a nose after these steps are done.

Let him sit overnight so he’s dry enough to add the hat decoration, using a food coloring marker. This specific brand of marker is made by Ateco, which has a wider tip than my usual favorite, the FooDoodler.

Little Uncle Sam cookie! Not sure which version I like better…but it’s like with your kids, you can’t play favorites.

Uncle Sam Cookies by Melissa Joy

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

Looking for more Independence Day cookie ideas? Check out my bunting cookies, stars & stripes cookies, or cookies for the troops from the Melissa Joy archives.

This post linked to: Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons, The Cookie Puzzle

Summer Tic-Tac-Toe Cookies

Posted on June 15, 2014 by melissajoycookies

HAGS! Or #HAGS. This was written in my 5th grade son’s yearbook, next to his friends’ signatures. What the heck is that? Hags?! All I could picture was a white-haired old lady with bumps on her nose. I figured I would have to inquire once I unloaded the backpacks full of papers, art supplies, and stray locker items.

That being said, summer vacation has arrived! We celebrate the start of our break with cookies. What else, when your mom is a baker? In keeping with my cookie Tic-Tac-Toe thing {I’ve made Halloween, Fall, Holiday, and Valentine’s Day versions), I joyously created this Summer Tic-Tac-Toe to kick it off!

I do get a lot of questions about how I’ve made my cookie tic-tac-toe sets in the past, so thought I would briefly break down a few of the details.

Summer Tic Tac Toe Cookies by Melissa Joy

First, the board. I measure and hand cut the dough with a pastry cutter, 6 inches by 6 inches square. Yes, I use a ruler. My recipe does spread a bit after it’s baked, but I don’t mind. If you are very particular, you can use a microplane grater to make the sides nice and straight. Outline and flood the monster cookie and let it dry overnight. The next day it will be ready for the details.

For this set I wanted the background to resemble a picnic blanket, so decided to paint the pattern on with food coloring (Americolor Super Red) slightly watered down and applied with a food only paint brush.

Tic Tac Toe Cookie Board How-To

To make the sections of the board into nine equal spaces, I use my ruler and mark off the top, bottom and sides of the board at the 2 inch and 4 inch spots. Use a scribe tool or a food writer to do so. This will give you a guide when you line up your ruler again, point to point, to create the straight-ish, grid lines. (This photo was taken at the time of my Valentine board…sorry for the discrepancy in pictures!)

In the past, I would have piped the dividing lines, but for this particular set the ants were marching with a slight squiggle. Most ants do. With this in mind, it seemed more appropriate to get out the FooDoodlers and draw them on. Best invention ever, those FooDoodlers.

I did pipe the ants on with royal icing, because I wanted more of a 3D effect with the little guys, but you could just as easily draw them. Board complete!

Let’s move on to the game pieces…

I had so many options with my ever growing collection of mini cookie cutters, but I settled on 5: an ice cream cone, popsicle, strawberry, watermelon, and sun. They seemed the most like the start of summer fun to me! I typically make six cookies of each design so there are enough to play the game with. Some details are done with the FooDoodlers and some with royal icing. It never hurts to make extra minis if you plan to snack as you participate.

The only shape I had to frankencookie (i.e. squishing two pieces of dough shapes together to get one desired shape) was the popsicle. I used a mini tombstone cookie cutter and the bottom of a mini Christmas bulb cutter. It was a bit tedious, but I only made 12 total. I could deal.

Once the desired cookie game pieces are made and the board ready, it’s time to play! And then eat. A great way to commemorate the start of our summer break!

We are looking forward to no early morning schedules, al fresco dinners, and the prospects of road trips near and far. HAGS! Or as us old people say….Have A Great Summer! 😉

Root Beer Float Cookies

Posted on May 12, 2014 by melissajoycookies

Last week our school celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week with treating the staff to something special in their break room. I volunteered to bring cookies for Root Beer Float day because I was dying to try out this idea…

The staff has received a healthy dose of my creations the past two years and I worry they will grow tired of “that cookie lady”. It seems I’m continually carrying a blue bakery box into school. I tell the teachers they are my Melissa Joy quality control for new designs. They must not mind too much yet because the cookies, regardless of style, seem to disappear rather quickly. These root beer float cookies were no exception. Here’s a brief low down on how it all got done…

I had asked Jill of Custom Cookies by Jill where she had gotten her mug cutter and she sent it to me to borrow. Mind you, I have never met her, only admired and commented on her amazing work via the net. How awesome are cookie people?! Completely awesome! I was doubly thrilled I didn’t have to frankenstein the dough together to get a similar mug shape. Sixty cookies would be a LOT to do that way and I would end up very crabby.

I first started the cookies like this, with separate brown segments on the mug. I do like this version, but realized with letting the icing set between sections, it would take longer and I was short on time. I decided to do the rest in one solid section, vowing to use an food marker for details later, and that version looks like this.

Regardless the way you choose, the next few steps remain the same.

Can I just say, I LOVE paper straws. The excuse to use them with a cookie is always a bonus. I cut the ones I purchased into 4 equal lengths.

With a squirt of ivory icing, adhere the straw onto the cookie.

With that same ivory icing, fill in your “ice cream”, leaving it sort of bumpy.

Immediately add a sour cherry ball. Oh my, they are like the red jelly beans with a twist and may be a new favorite candy of mine. They also make the cutest cherry on top!

Once the ice cream part sets up, it’s time to add the “froth”. With the ivory icing, go squiggly along the edge of the mug and ice cream. Add sanding sugar for sparkle and contrast.

Let the whole cookie sit overnight if you make the drawn mug version. I used a brown FooDoodler to make the lines on mine. They are the best at making detailing a breeze.

Because I had to create around 100 cookies for the staff, I decided to balance out the floats with a simple cherry cookie. These were made using a raindrop cutter and could not have been easier to add to the set!

Cookies completed and teachers appreciated! I am not ashamed to say that I love the way these root beer float cookies turned out. I am itching to make them again and thinking that a family picnic or a neighborhood BBQ would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Summertime is fast approaching and with these cookies, I’ll be ready!

This post linked to: Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons, Tidy Mom & featured on the Cookie Connection Saturday Spotlight

Melissa Joy Cookies

Pretty cookies with organic ingredients, and the stories behind them.

Summer Tic-Tac-Toe Cookies

Pretty cookies with organic ingredients, and the stories behind them.

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