Sugar Cookies with Watercolor Painted Marshmallow Fondant ~ This is a no-spread sugar cookie topped with a 2-ingredient marshmallow fondant that I finished with some watercolor painting for fun Valentine’s cookie theme.
I don’t know what it is about Valentine’s but it always makes me want to do elaborate looking cookies like these. The cookies themselves are a no-spread sugar cookie infused with tea, they are good on their own or if you want to keep it simple, omit the tea, skip the fondant and just give the cookies a quick lemon glaze. But if you are feeling ambitious then let go for the painted finish.
Before you get started, here are a few notes:
- If you don’t have tea, or don’t like the taste of it in your baked goods, you can replace it with lemon or orange zest or 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract.
- This two-ingredient marshmallow fondant is easy to work with, but just keep in mind this recipe should not be used for cakes – it’s a little too stiff.
- The product I used to paint these cookies are the Rolkem line of food coloring that is powder based and highly concentrated. The colors I used to paint these cookies are: Rolkem Alpine Red, Rolkem Purple and Rolkem Super Gold. Food gels from Americolor or any other company will work just as well. I would steer clear of the inexpensive food coloring found in the baking section of the grocery store since its not concentrated enough. You can order Rolkem products from a lot of various Etsy shops.
- To dilute and help the paint quickly dry I used: Rolkem Dry Essence, but you can use a vodka instead it won’t dry as fast but it works the same.
- Make sure to roll the sugar cookie dough between to two lightly floured parchment papers.
- Stamp out the hearts and then place the cut outs on a cookie sheet and let it chill in the refrigerator. I know most conventional recipes will have you chill your dough then roll and cut, but cutting out the shape while the dough is still warm and pliable makes it so you actually work and handle the dough alot less.
Sugar Cookies with Watercolor Painted Marshmallow Fondant
Ingredients
- Sugar cookies
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons loose leaf green tea
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, cold and cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
- 1 egg
- Marshmallow fondant
- 1 7oz. marshmallow fluff (I used Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1lb. powdered sugar
- Colors for decorating
- Rolkem Alpine Rose food coloring (or your preferred food coloring)
- Rolkem Purple food coloring (or your preferred food coloring)
- Rolkem Super Gold food coloring (or your preferred food coloring)
- Rolkem Dry Essence* or vodka
Instructions
To make sugar cookies:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, loose leaf tea, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer bowl, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together sugar, butter and cream cheese at medium high speed. Scrape down bowl, add the egg and beat until combined. Turn mixer speed down to low and add the flour in one cup at a time. Beat until dough just starts to come together.
Turn dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Add a second piece of parchment on top and roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Stamp out hearts and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer cut outs to refrigerator to chill for at least two hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degree. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until bottom of cookies are lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely before covering with fondant.
To make marshmallow fondant:
Place marshmallow fluff in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Lightly cover standmixer bowl and paddle attachment with non-stick spray. Scrap marshmallow fluff into the bowl and add the water. Turn the mixer on to low and beat until the water is worked in. Turn off mixer and add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat on low until fully incorporated, continue to add remaining powdered sugar in one cup at a time. Once the fondant starts to come together like wet sand, it's ready to be kneaded. Turn off the mixer and lightly dust a work surface with powdered sugar. Transfer the fondant to the work surface and knead until the fondant starts to form a ball that is slightly tacky and does not crumble. If the fondant is too crumbly and dry, flatten it out and use a spray bottle and spritz the fondant and continue to knead until it comes together. Spritz as needed to bring the fondant together. Fondant is ready when it resembles clay in texture. To store, flatten out fondant to 1-inch disc or rectangle, cover in parchment and store in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature.
To assemble:
Lightly cover your work surface with powdered sugar. Working in batches, roll out just enough fondant for four cookies. Make sure the remaining marshmallow fondant stays covered in parchment and sealed in a plastic bag to prevent it from drying out. Use the same size heart cutter as the one used on the cookies and stamp out fondant hearts. Lightly brush water on one side of the heart and press the fondant heart onto the cookie. Continue until all hearts are covered.
To paint:
In two separate bowls, dilute a very small drop of the purple and red food color in 2 tablespoons Rolkem Dry Essence (or vodka). In the third bowl, place a larger drop of purple food color in a bowl and dilute it with 1 tablespoon of Rolkem Essence (or vodka). In the fourth bowl, place a very small drop of the gold food color and dilute with remaining 1 tablespoon of Rolkem Essence (or vodka).
Paint the red and purple color from the first two bowls all over the fondant, making sure to use two separate brushes or washing the brush out between colors. Now using a third brush, with a fine tip, dip it into the more concentrated purple color and paint vein-like strokes on top. Finish with a splatter or dust of gold.
Notes
- If you don't have tea, or don't like the taste of it in your baked goods, you can replace it with lemon or orange zest or 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract.
- This two-ingredient marshmallow fondant is easy to work with, but just keep in mind this recipe should not be used for cakes - it's a little too stiff.
- The product I used to paint these cookies are the Rolkem line of food coloring that is powder based and highly concentrated. The colors I used to paint these cookies are: Rolkem Alpine Red, Rolkem Purple and Rolkem Super Gold. Food gels from Americolor or any other company will work just as well. I would steer clear of the inexpensive food coloring found in the baking section of the grocery store since its not concentrated enough. You can order Rolkem products from a lot of various Etsy shops.
- To dilute and help the paint quickly dry I used: Rolkem Dry Essence, but you can use a vodka instead it won't dry as fast but it works the same.
- Make sure to roll the sugar cookie dough between to two lightly floured parchment papers.
- Stamp out the hearts and then place the cut outs on a cookie sheet and let it chill in the refrigerator. I know most conventional recipes will have you chill your dough then roll and cut, but cutting out the shape while the dough is still warm and pliable makes it so you actually work and handle the dough alot less.
You are so creative, these are a work of art!
Totally a work of art Naomi! I always get so excited to see what gorgeous treat you’ll be sharing for Valentine’s Day! As usual, you did not disappoint!
These are so beautiful! What a great homemade gift idea this Valentine’s Day!
These are SO pretty! What a cool idea!
The glaze is absolutely amazing!
They’re beautiful! Wondering, does the marshmallow top hard?
These are so pretty! Love the watercolor fondant!! Makes these sugar cookies extra special for Valentine’s Day!
Simply gorgeous!!
In making the marshmellow fondant, you say to add water, but do not say how much. I have never attempted anything like this, and am too chicken to guess on an amount 🙂
Hi Rachel,
Its 2 tablespoons of water. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect your question. Thanks so much for letting me know. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Hi Patty – it hardens just slightly.
Can these be frozen and stored for a couple of weeks??
Do you have to use the fondant? Can you do the same thing on royal icing?
They are so lovely, thanks for sharing.
Are these soft or crunchy cookies when baked?