Georganne Bell - The Cookie Companion

For anyone who has ever found themselves in public with icing on their jeans. And for S, W, E, A, and little P.

The Cookie Companion by Georganne Bell covers all things cookie, in the fun and funky Lila Loastyle that we know and love. From beautiful, imaginative designs to in-depth color charts, this book is sure to become an indispensable part of every cookie decorators library. Whether youre new to cookies or an experienced decorator, The Cookie Companion has everything you need to make beautifully decorated cookies, every single time.

Callye Alvarado

Creator of www.sweetsugarbelle.com

The Cookie Companion is a must-have book in any cookie decorators library. With the help of step-by-step tutorials, Georgannes whimsical cookies can be easily recreated by bakers of any skill level. In addition to the cookies themselves, the extensive color mixing and color palette guide made my heart go pitter-patter. Georgannes tips, techniques, and inspiration will have you reaching for your icing bag and apron!

Bridget Edwards

Author of Decorating Cookies and Decorating Cookies Party

The Cookie Companion is an amazing resource, full of tips and tricks that will help anyone become a better cookie decorator. With unique and creative cookie designs this book is sure to inspire. The color chart is a resource that can be used to design a perfect color palette for any cookie theme or platter.

Lisa Snyder

Author of 100 Animal Cookies and creator of www.thebearfootbaker.com

The Cookie Companion is a must-have book for cookie decorators of all levels! From the plentiful color chart options and creative cookie ideas, to the endless decorating information this is one book that will certainly help take your cookies to a whole new level!

Toni Miller

Author of Cupcakery and creator of www.makebakecelebrate.com

CONTENTS

LETS GET STARTED

C OOKIES are kind of fantastic. You put them in your mouth, and they make you happy because they taste like scrumptious little bites of love. But did you know that cookies can also LOOK incredible? Its true. And if you wanted to, you can learn to make these delicious tasting, incredible-looking cookies in your own homein your pajamas if you want to. Im not going to judge you. Cookies are a judging-free zone.

And we are not talking about the stale, crumbling cookie you get from the grocery store that vaguely resembles an octopus but might also be a popular childrens cartoon character. Were talking about show-stopping cookies with a depth of texture, vibrant colors, and piping creativity that will keep your eyes moving until you finally give in and take a bite. You knowthe kind of cookies you want to take home to show your mother. And your father. And everyone else in your life because you are just so proud that something so delicious and impressive could actually come from your very own kitchen. Lets make those kinds of cookies.

Are you in? Lets get you started. The first thing you need is a good recipe. Its no secret that cookies are meant to be eaten. The recipe should taste like deliciousness in cookie form and should keep its shape when baked. We dont want your tray of bicycles to turn into Halloween amoebas in the oven, do we? I think not. Luckily for you, Ive got three fantastic options Vanilla Sugar Cookies (). Go check them out and see which ones you already have the ingredients for. Ill meet you back here in three minutes.

Whoa. You were faster than I expected. You know what I love about those recipes? (Besides everything!) They dont have a chill time in them. You can just mix up the ingredients and get right to rolling out the cookies. Start with a lightly floured surface. Toss a ball of dough on there and roll it flat. You can use rings that go on the end of rolling pins to make sure everything is the same thickness, or you can put some flat sticks on each side of your dough to do the same thing. Or if youre really brave, you can just throw caution to the wind and eyeball the thickness. I like to roll the cookie dough out until it is about twice the thickness I need, and then carefully lift the dough and rotate it so Im sure it isnt sticking. Add a sprinkle of flour here and there if anything starts to stick where it shouldnt. You could also roll that dough out between two sheets of parchment paper and save yourself from a floured-up counter.

Once your dough is flat and smooth and the exact thickness you want it to be, grab a cutter, a drinking glass, or even a kitchen knife and start cutting out shapes. Dip the cutters in flour before cutting out each shape. It helps the dough release from the cutter and also keeps the dough from spreading when baked. Bake according to the recipe and allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.

While your cookies are hanging out on the cooling rack, you can make up some decorating icing to keep your mind off eating them immediately. I prefer Royal Icing with Powdered Egg Whites (). You can get more definition with royal icing, but glaze will always have a softer bite. Its really your choice. Try them both and see which one you like better.

Either way, once youve gotten the icing all mixed up, the trickiest part of cookie decorating will be staring you in the face. You need to color your icing and then adjust the consistency. If you ignore everything else I tell you, please listen to me now. Getting the right consistency of icing before you start decorating will be the difference between things ending in tears and ice cream pity partiesand cookies that make you so proud you cant help but throw open your door and show them to the world. (I will not be responsible for startled mailmen.)

The cookie projects in this book use four different consistencies of icing: thin, medium, thick, and extra thick. Its not complicated; it just takes a little time to get them right. Put your icing in a bowl, stir it around, and then pick it up and give it a good tap or two on the counter. If everything settles out into a glossy surface, youve got yourself some thin icing right there. If it takes five to six taps before everything settles out smoothly, that would be medium-consistency icing.

Thick icing doesnt really settle out, even after tapping it on the counter seven or eight times, but it will still move a little on its own if you tilt the bowl. Extra thick icing doesnt go anywhere, even if you turn the bowl upside down. Extra thick icing doesnt like you and will give you the cold shoulder when you try to use it. We will only use extra thick if we have no other choice.