Janice Fryer - Cookie Craft Christmas: Dozens of Decorating Ideas for a Sweet Holiday

DOZENS OF DECORATING IDEAS
for a Sweet HolidayValeriePETERSON& JaniceFRYERThe mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment. Edited by Margaret Sutherland
Art direction and book design by Alethea Morrison
Text production by Jennifer Jepson Smith Photography by Kevin Kennefick, except back cover by Mars Vilaubi
Food styling by Sara Neumeier
Photo styling by Alethea Morrison
Illustrations by Alison Kolesar 2009 by Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information, please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396. Printed in China by SNP Leefung Printers Limited
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Peterson, Valerie.
Cookie craft Christmas / by Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-60342-440-0 (hardcover w/ jacket : alk. paper)
1. 2. 2.

Cake decorating. 3. Holiday cookery.
I. Fryer, Janice. II. and to the memory of Gordon Fryer, from whom Janice inherited her sweet tooth

Cookie Craft Christmas owes a huge debt to the many of our beloved family members and friends whose generous support and enthusiasm helped us launch the original Cookie Craft. We thank you all, again, from the bottom of our mixing bowls! The book owes its existence to our agent Jen Griffin and the wonderful team at Storey Publishing especially our editor, Margaret Sutherland, and the creative director, Alethea Morrison. and to the memory of Gordon Fryer, from whom Janice inherited her sweet tooth Cookie Craft Christmas owes a huge debt to the many of our beloved family members and friends whose generous support and enthusiasm helped us launch the original Cookie Craft. We thank you all, again, from the bottom of our mixing bowls! The book owes its existence to our agent Jen Griffin and the wonderful team at Storey Publishing especially our editor, Margaret Sutherland, and the creative director, Alethea Morrison.

Were thrilled to be working once again with the amazing Storey sales and marketing teams and with Amy Greeman and Jayme Hummer in publicity. Thanks to them, were catching up to zucchini... Dan knows what we mean. We again thank our illustrator, Alison Kolesar, and our talented stylist Sara Neumeier, who, despite her best efforts, cant seem to escape us for that, were very grateful. And were grateful, too, to Kevin Kennefick, our photographer, who shot the cookies in their best light. Last but not least, wed like to thank all our Cookie Craft readers and the numerous baking bloggers whove been so generous with their praise and helpful with their comments.

Our Easy cookie icon and Keep It Simple notes came about as a direct response to reader feedback. We continue to be inspired by their creativity and enthusiasm!

PART ONE:
RECIPES & TECHNIQUESPART TWO:
COOKIE INSPIRATIONSPART THREE:
SHIPPING & PARTY PLANNING We wrote in our first book, Cookie Craft, that beloved memories are made and kept in the kitchen. Never is this truer for many of us than when making Christmas cookies. At this most wonderful time of the year, Janices mom, Mildred, always made Russian tea cakes. Valeries mom, Weenie, hauled out the spritz cookie press, and the Petersons still laugh about the time the family dog ate an entire baking sheet of raw cookie dough. We both enjoy baking and eating traditional holiday recipes, but now our cherished traditions include decorating seasonal cookies.

Many of our friends and families have gotten into the habit, as well, and their kids look forward to the annual ritual. Janice makes her much-requested snowflakes for the office holiday potluck and loves to give elaborately decorated cookies as special gifts. Valerie makes trucks with trees as an emblem of her familys annual Tree Day, when her freshly cut evergreen actually leaves the tree farm on her cousin Kurts red pickup. While writing and decorating for the year-round Cookie Craft, we realized we could fill a whole book with just Christmas shapes each one in its own way a treasured symbol of the season and the idea for this follow-up was born. Here, in Cookie Craft Christmas, youll find more than 70 unique holiday cookies, as well as our favorite recipes, shortcuts, hints, tips, and detailed instructions for how to achieve the results pictured. Use the ideas as jumping-off points for your own creativity, and have fun putting your personality into the cookies.

For many of the designs, we suggest ways to Keep It Simple that is, how to get a similar result with fewer steps or less drying time. In response to our readers, weve also included simpler cookie designs for beginners or for quicker decorating gratification for anyone. Youll find these flagged with an Easy icon. (For additional techniques, more in-depth beginner instruction, and year-round inspirations, you can of course refer to the original Cookie Craft.) Though the holiday season is always busy, making time for tomorrows memories has never been more important. We hope this book helps to make your Christmas cookie crafting merry and your baking season bright!

All of our Cookie Craft Christmas creations start with delicious sugar cookies, yummy gingerbread, or rich chocolaty cookies. We developed the recipes and the rolling-chilling-cutting technique here to ensure a smooth surface for your successful holiday designs.

Be sure to check out the Pre-baking Decorating Techniques (21) to ensure your decorating fun.

While you can decorate cookies with not much more than basic baking supplies, a plastic bag, and a batch of royal icing, the following inexpensive equipment will make your cookie decorating more efficient and fun. See Resources for suppliers.