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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Easy Gingham Cookies {Cookie Decorating}




I love pretty gingham!  That simple, classic pattern has always appealed to me.   I know that must me I'm a bit country... but I am, so that's OK =)  I was at Michael's (craft store) recently and stumbled upon some cute gingham pinwheels and napkins.  I picked them both up, trying to convince myself why I "needed" them... and I quickly decided I could make some gingham cookies! 

Several months ago, Callye (Sweet Sugar Belle) made some beautiful (and easy-always a bonus!) ombre cookies using spray food coloring.  I've never tried the spray coloring, but have been wanting to give it a try ever since I saw her results!  I thought it might work for gingham too, so I bought two colors and headed home.

And sure enough... it DID work!  =)  Thanks Callye!       


There was a little bit of a learning curve with these, and some I sprayed more evenly than others, but in general I was quite happy with the results and will have fun playing with this technique again! 


~ How to make Gingham Patterned Cookies ~

First, you'll need a batch cookies.  Here's my Sugar Cookie Recipe.
Then, make a batch of Royal Icing
You'll also need at least one can of spray food coloring, such as Color Mist (I bought mine at Michael's)

(steps A. and B. are not pictured)
(A).  Outline and flood your cookies using white icing.  I used a square shape, but a circle would look good too.  Allow the cookies to fully dry (overnight).

(B).  While the cookies are drying, make a stencil using cardstock paper.  I used and exacto knife and a ruler and cut strips that were 1/2 inch wide, and at least an inch longer than the width of the cookie. 

1. (as pictured, although I took the photos after I had completed the cookies). 
When the cookies are dry, gather your supplies (the plain cookies, and your spray colors).  Cover your work area well!  I used a large paper bag, but quickly found out that was not quite enough.  If you can, you may want to do this project outside.  But either way, make sure you cover your work area fully.  I would also suggest covering your mouth and nose with a cloth.  The smell is not too bad, but I did discovered that I must have breathed in some of the coloring through my nose (I wont explain how I figured this out).

Very lightly spray your chosen color over the entire cookie.

2.  Once the first layer of color has dried (maybe 10 minutes), place your stencil at a diagonal across the cookie (as pictured).  Spray lightly with color. 

3.  Once the first stripes have dried (about 10 minutes), lay your stencil across the opposite diagonal (as shown), and spray your color. 

Voila!  Gingham patterned cookies!



65 comments:

  1. Those cookies looks easy and beautiful!!!

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  2. I love the "I won't explain how I figured out" [that I breathed in color spray] Made me laugh!!! :) - regina

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  3. What a good idea...your cookies look so cute...I might have to try them! :-)

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  4. I love this! my daughter is having a gingham party, I'm trying this. I hope I can get the stencil right.

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  5. I wish I had thought of this, they are wonderful. Great job Glory

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  6. Lovely cookies...wondering if we can use rolling fondant to cover the cookies instead of royal icing.

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  7. These cookies are just gorgeous. Elegant and pretty, very "ladylike", if that's possible for a cookie!

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  8. You know what I always say...better pink and purple boogers than green!

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  9. What a great idea! They are so beautiful and spring-y! :)

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  10. OH. MY. WORD.!!! I am smitten with these cookies..and wouldn't they be cute, too, paired with polka dot circles in matching colors?!!!

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  11. Amazing. these are so sweet and spring-like. Love them!

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  12. Oh my gosh, these are just beautiful!

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  13. These are beautiful! I love the spray and the gingham is gorgeous!!!

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  14. OH MY!!!! I love gingham anything and these cookies just blow my mind. I LOVE them!!!!!

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  15. Very cute and clever!! I can see these for spring and even baby and wedding showers! You're so awesome, Glory!

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  16. love these so much!!! def going to be making these at some point this spring/summer!

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  17. Cute and simple- thanks for sharing

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  18. So in love with these! Glory you are genius. I will definitely be doing this on some eggs next week. I have a couple colors waiting to be used!

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  19. I Love gingham....I would suggest using a roll of freezer paper instead of a paper bag. Thats one of my "go to" items when I'm baking.

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  20. OHHHH -- I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THESE!!! I have been trying to figure out how I could possibly make some gingham cookies. And you have done it!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!

    PS -- Seriously, I LOVE these cookeis!

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  21. This is just genius! What a great idea - I love them!

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  22. I love everything about these cookies! They are just so pretty.:) Great job!

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  23. What a fantastic idea!!! We'll definitely be using this in the near future ... if I can get my hands on some of that spray colour here in Aust!! ...Oh, and ... Thanks for the laugh!!

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  24. Oh Glory! These are just as fresh as a daisy - a modern spin on a retro style! I definitely want to try this techinque! Your photo is just stunning (as usual) and I love the pinwheels - such a sweet Spring time touch! Maryann :)

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  25. Those are so pretty! Now I may have to try that!

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  26. What a wonderful idea!
    So beautiful yet so simple!

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  27. Beautiful! I believe I would have to frame the photo! I would love to try making these. :)

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  28. Oh my goodness... these are so sweet!

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  29. Oooohhh,
    look wonderful!
    Thanks for sharing your secrets.
    Congratulations.

    A greeting.

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  30. Awesome, that's a really good idea of decorating cookies :)

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  31. These turned out beautiful! Such a great idea! We use spray coloring on our fun food all the time...so I am totally with you about covering your face! The first time we used it I was blowing out orange from my nose a few hours later and was thinking..oh my gosh..what is wrong with me!ha Now I just lightly spray and stand back just a few minutes. I love it..saves on a lot of time!

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  32. Hey, girl, this is AWESOME! Thank you very, very much for this cute idea!

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  33. These are SUPER pretty! They make me want to get into cookie decorating...

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  34. Gingham is just about my favorite pattern in all the world! Thanks so much for the tutorial. I am going to try this; I even have the spray already:) Your cookies are perfect!

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  35. You totally read my mind with this one. I've been trying to figure out how to re-create it. I never thought of spray mist. It's perfect. Thank you!

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  36. OMG!! You have changed my life!! I almost gave up on figuring out how to do this! Thank you Glory!

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  37. cute! I've had gingham cookies on the brain for a couple weeks, but no time to execute. Hopefully I can get some time to make some before Easter. I love spring gingham!

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  38. They are sooooo pretty! Happy Easter!

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  39. Those are great! I even think I could do those!

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  40. So cute and I'm really glad I saw this because I just got a request from a customer to do a gingham cake. Maybe I can use your technique (just enlarged) to do a cake. Thanks!

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  41. These cookies are too cute to eat!

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  42. Absolutely LOVE this idea. Would even work for "picnics" in red or blue. Now to find time to try them....sigh.....

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  44. How pretty and I love the way you tied them with perfectly matching ribbon.

    http://missbbobochic.blogspot.com/

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  45. I love your cookies. the hardest part I have has been working with the color spray though I am sure it takes practice. I was wondering what you think, if I was to tint the white royal icing a very light color pink..instead of using the spray on the white icing to tint it lightly. I thought perhaps eliminating one spray might give me a better result.
    thank you for posting your fabulous cookies!!!

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  46. @Anonyomous- Yes, I'm sure it would work if you just ice the cookies in a VERY pale shade to match the spray color. I didn't do this because I wanted to do two different colored cookies, and was too lazy to make extra icing =) Best of luck!

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  47. These are so adorable! I've never seen anything like it! fashionable and edible all at the same time :)

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  48. They are just fabulous Glory - I needed them last weekend when I did a very cute party that included gingham - they would have been perfect xx Leanne xx

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  49. What a good idea!!! thanks a lot!!! i will use it soon.

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  50. What a gorgeous idea, they are divine.

    I bet it takes some practice to get it right.

    Paul

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  51. Thank you Callye for this wonderful idea! I tried it with my (setting in the corner ) airbrush! I love it! Not as neat as yours but I am pleased! Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge. I cannot tell you how much you have helped me!

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  52. These are super cute. I want to try the spray mist. :)

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  53. brenda@bakedblessing.comApril 6, 2012 at 9:32 AM

    I attempted these, they were a flop. It was operator error though, lol. I posted them on my blog and put a link to your site so my readers could see what they were supposed to look like, lol.
    http://bakedblessing.com/2012/04/06/easter-flop/

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  54. My daughter and I decorated these today, thanks to your idea! I made the same scalloped squares (love that cutter!), and also Peeps shape. After we did some gingham ones, I remembered all her crafts stencils, so she went to town with those! Thanks again! Nancy the Snowflakelady

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  55. Your cookies are amazing. I would never have guessed you used spray coloring. How fun!

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