Valentine’s Sugar Cookies ~ Love beautiful sugar like I do, but you don’t have time to get elbow deep with pastry bags, tips and piping for some decorated Valentine’s sugar cookies? Let’s chat. . . .
Guess what? I found a happy solution. Skip the damming, the flooding and making two bowls of icing for each consistency. I found my new thrill in poured royal icing. It’s nothing more than royal icing thinned down to a pouring consistency. It’s about two steps thinner than flooding consistency.
If you haven’t guessed, I love everything from pretty food to food truck grub. What I don’t love is being strapped for time. Every year I always have these grand Valentine’s baking plans and then I realize-uh, really!
Febuary is my busiest month, I have two big birthdays to plan for and this year I’m planning a big 40th for the hubs and a 4 year-old Batman galore birthday party. That is, between my family life, working and blogging and trying to keep my sanity.
I know-I’m such a WHINER! Self slapping administered.
Okay, back to what matters: the cookies! As I was saying, this is a great solution for those of us who don’t have time and still want to make some fun Valentine’s cookies.
I left most of mine plain because I tend to like more minimal designs, but you can easily dress this up with some decorative sugars and sprinkles, paint on some designs with luster dust or finish with a simple drizzle of chocolate on top.
A few notes:
- The royal icing base I used is from cake and cookie extraordinaire, Amanda at iambaker.com. Click here for the recipe and click here to see her fabulous Valentine’s sugar cookies. I know I’m going link crazy here, but you have to see two of my favorite Valentine’s cakes here and here—trust me you won’t be sorry!
- The royal icing can be made 3 days in advance. Make sure to store it properly if you do make it in advance. If you use a container, place plastic wrap directly on the surface before placing the lid on top. I personally, tend to use Ziploc baggies and press the bag onto the surface of the icing and then seal it. This way I just have to cut a hole the corner to squeeze it into either a pastry bag, or in this case, a bowl.
- Pouring consistency should resemble whipping cream not heavy whipping cream. As an added measure, keep a bowl of uncolored royal icing aside in case you need to add it to your mix if you have over thinned the icing.
- For another pouring type of decorating click here to see how to work with Poured Buttercream.
Valentine’s Sugar Cookies with Poured Royal Icing
- Click here for my sugar cookie recipe.
- Click here for the royal icing base from I Am Baker. To thin the royal icing add milk one teaspoon at a time and mixt to combine (just remember it’s much easier to thin than to thicken).
- To assemble, place cookies on a cooling rack and a bakesheet underneath to catch excess icing. Pour royal icing on top and leave to dry. Finish as preferred.
Excellent idea!! I always feel better after reading your blog – if you can get all this done there is still hope for me!!
You are just so dang talented girl!!! These are gorgeous. When I have used this method they NEVER turned out that beautiful… you need to give lessons!! 🙂
These are beautiful, my friend! Great colors and beautiful styling, too :).
Okay, now I know this is a winner since you and Amanda are so talented! I never have the patience to dam and flood my sugar cookies anyways, so I love an easy alternative.
The poured icing looks really nice!
Between you and Amanda – these have gotta be the best cookies ever. You are both two of the most talented bakers I know 🙂
Who would of thought to use royal icing? GREAT IDEA!
I love simple designs too. Your cookies are beautiful!
Naomi, those are just beautiful. Simple and elegant.
Such a good idea and adorable photo! This one could be a poster.
LOVE the idea…and these are beautiful!!
These look fab!! I wonder how these would work with the poured buttercream?! Will definitely be trying both! I love the simplicity of them, but my son is begging for “conversation heart” cookies, for his class…. 🙂
Thanks for the idea!
I love minimalist designs, and these are adorable!
Hi Kristin,
You can easily just pipe conversation wording on top!
Naomi
lovely! Just like everything else you do 🙂
I only recently discovered Amanda’s site, and you’re right when you say she’s amazingly awesome! But having said that, you’re awesome too for coming up with these pretty cookies – I might just have to make them next weekend! 😉
So darling and festive! Looks like the hearts are just flitting around all happy and full of love!
So pretty! 🙂
These are so adorable, Naomi…and I love that photograph!
I love it! And the photography is beautiful like always. 🙂
Gorgeous, lovely, dainty, yummy, and completely delightful!
Love the idea of pouring instead of dealing with tips and bags. Especially since these cookies look amazing.
Beautiful.
I would love to see the set up and some behind-the-scenes shots of how you take your photos. They’re always amazing.