Delightful Thanksgiving Cookies: Turkeys, Leaves & Pumpkins with Expert Royal Icing Tips
The art of cookie decorating, especially with royal icing, has captured my heart and imagination. What started as a casual baking endeavor has blossomed into a full-blown obsession. After crafting these charming Thanksgiving cookies – featuring turkeys, autumn leaves, and cheerful pumpkins – I knew I had to share my experience. While I won’t be offering a step-by-step tutorial for every single design, this post aims to equip you with the essential tips and trusted recipes that made these edible works of art possible. Think of this as a candid look into my decorating journey, complete with valuable insights and a generous helping of “link love” to the wonderful resources that guided me.
Embracing the Sweet Obsession: The Joy of Decorated Cookies
It’s safe to say that decorating cookies has become a delightful addiction. This creative outlet perfectly bridges the gap between my craft blog and my food blog, as these intricate, edible creations blend artistry with deliciousness. Any cookies adorned with royal icing will undoubtedly find their place here. Fair warning: I anticipate finding every conceivable occasion and holiday as an excuse to make these! If my enthusiasm for decorated cookies ever becomes overwhelming, feel free to skip ahead. While this blog certainly won’t be solely dedicated to them, they’re simply too much fun to resist when a special moment arises.
The process of transforming a simple sugar cookie into a miniature masterpiece is incredibly rewarding. From mixing the dough to carefully piping each detail, it’s a journey that engages both culinary skill and artistic flair. These cookies aren’t just desserts; they’re expressions of creativity, perfect for celebrating holidays, gifting to loved ones, or simply brightening a regular day. The vibrant colors and intricate designs bring so much joy, making them a focal point at any gathering.
The Inspiration Behind the Thanksgiving Cookie Collection
The genesis of this particular Thanksgiving cookie post began innocently enough. A few days before Halloween, I was on a mission at Walmart, searching for a clown wig (as one does!). My attention, however, was quickly diverted by a charming display of cookie cutters hanging on the wall. By this point, I was already deeply enamored with cookie decorating, having recently created a batch of football jersey cookies for my boys’ teams. That successful experience had ignited a spark, making these new cookie cutters an irresistible find.
The set included three perfect shapes: a turkey, a classic autumn leaf, and a cute pumpkin. Given that I already had another leaf-shaped cutter at home, along with a collection of alphabet letter cutters, all the pieces fell into place for what would become this festive “Give Thanks” themed cookie assortment. It’s amazing how a simple impulse buy can lead to such a creative and delicious project, especially when you’re already passionate about the craft. The anticipation of transforming these basic shapes into detailed, edible art was palpable, and I couldn’t wait to get started.
Discovering the Perfect Sugar Cookie & Royal Icing Recipes
A successful decorated cookie starts with an exceptional base, and I found mine thanks to my talented Florida friend, Leslie, from The Hungry Housewife. (A friendly word of caution: when searching online, ensure you’re clicking the correct link, as some similarly named sites might lead to an unexpected “eyeful”! Haha!). Leslie’s blog is a treasure trove of invaluable tips for making these cookies, which is why I highly recommend clicking over to her site and bookmarking that link. Her insights are truly fantastic and were instrumental in achieving the delightful treats you see here. Both the sugar cookie and the royal icing recipes, which I utilized for this Thanksgiving collection, are also conveniently listed at the end of this very post.
The beauty of Leslie’s sugar cookie recipe lies in its reliability. It yields cookies that hold their shape beautifully during baking, providing a perfect canvas for intricate designs, yet they remain wonderfully tender and delicious. This is crucial for decorated cookies, as you want a sturdy base that doesn’t spread or lose its form in the oven. The flavor is also outstanding, making them a joy to eat even before they’re adorned with icing. As for the royal icing, her recipe creates a glaze that dries to a smooth, hard finish, allowing for stacking and packaging without smudging, while still offering a pleasant bite. This combination of a great cookie and a dependable icing is what makes all the difference in cookie decorating.
Essential Tools & Techniques for Royal Icing Success
Beyond stellar recipes, having the right tools and knowing a few clever tricks can elevate your cookie decorating game. Here are some methods I found incredibly helpful:
Creating Fine Details with DIY Parchment Piping Bags
One excellent resource I discovered is “The Baker’s Banter” from King Arthur Flour. If you follow this link, you’ll find a brilliant method for transforming a simple sheet of parchment paper into a small, disposable piping bag. These homemade bags are absolutely perfect for creating fine lines, delicate dots, and intricate details on your cookies. Their small size is a huge advantage; not only do they allow for incredible precision, but they also hold only a minimal amount of icing. This means you avoid the frustrating waste that often comes with filling larger, more conventional piping bags with small quantities of multiple colors. I personally used these ingenious little bags to pipe the delicate lines on the pumpkin cookies, craft the expressive eyes on the turkeys, and add charming dots to the alphabet letters. The results were truly fabulous and made detailed work much more manageable and enjoyable. This simple hack is a game-changer for anyone looking to add precision to their cookie art without investing in a multitude of metal tips.
The Practicality of Disposable Piping Bags
While professional decorator tips certainly offer unparalleled precision, they can be cumbersome when you’re working with numerous colors and don’t want to constantly clean and switch out couplings and tips. If, like me, you often find yourself with just one or two tips but a palette full of icing colors, you might appreciate my workaround: I simply filled disposable piping bags with each colored icing and snipped off the very end of the tip. This creates a small opening that works remarkably well for both outlining and flooding. While a dedicated piping tip undeniably provides a more precise and consistent line, this method proved perfectly functional and efficient for my needs, allowing me to quickly switch between colors without any fuss or extra cleanup. It’s a great practical solution for the home baker who wants good results without all the specialized equipment.
Mastering the Outline & Fill Technique for Flawless Finish
One of the most crucial tips I learned, again from Leslie, concerns the outlining and filling process. She wisely pointed out that if you outline all your cookies first and then return to fill their centers (when using the same color for both), you can end up with visible border lines. This happens because the outline dries slightly before you get back to flood the interior. To avoid this common issue, Leslie suggested piping the border and then immediately filling the center with the same color. This ensures that the outline and the flood icing merge seamlessly, preventing any unsightly demarcation lines. This technique is specifically for when you’re using one color for both the border and the flood.
Her advice proved absolutely correct. When I previously made the football jersey cookies, I followed this method for the colored jerseys, and they turned out beautifully smooth. However, when I attempted the white jerseys, I outlined them all first, then tried a flooding method I’d seen on another blog using fun icing bottles. The result? Unmistakable border lines. I will definitely not be making that mistake again!
When filling the centers, my technique is simple: I steadily pipe along the inner perimeter of the outline, gradually working my way inward until the entire center is covered. Once piped, I gently tap the cookie against the side of the cookie sheet, or pick it up and shake it side to side a little. This helps the icing spread out evenly and eliminates any small air bubbles. If any stubborn bubbles remain, a quick pop with a toothpick and another gentle shake will usually do the trick. A toothpick can also be used to carefully spread the icing into any unfilled gaps, but you must work quickly before the icing begins to set. The key takeaway here is to work on one cookie at a time, ensuring a smooth, uniform surface every time. This approach guarantees a professional-looking finish that makes your decorated cookies truly shine.
Experimenting with Wet-on-Wet Blending for Artistic Effects
One particularly enjoyable experiment was blending colors on the leaf cookies. As a newbie to this specific technique, I think they turned out pretty well, though there’s always room for improvement! The secret to achieving this beautiful, marbled effect is to apply your secondary color(s) immediately after the base coat of icing, while it is still wet. Once both colors are on the cookie, simply drag a toothpick through them, swirling gently to create various patterns and blends. This wet-on-wet method allows the colors to meld together seamlessly, producing stunning, organic designs that add depth and visual interest. It’s a fantastic way to add an artistic touch to your cookies and allows for a lot of creative freedom, making each leaf cookie unique.
The Versatility of a Great Sugar Cookie Recipe
Even if the thought of working with royal icing seems daunting – though I assure you, it’s quite easy once you get the hang of it – you absolutely must try this sugar cookie recipe. It’s incredibly yummy and, in my opinion, an overall winner. This recipe produces a sturdy yet tender cookie that is delightful on its own, or fantastic when decorated with something as simple as canned frosting. If you do opt for canned frosting, you can still add a festive touch by sprinkling them with jimmies, nonpareils, or colored sugar. Just remember to add any sprinkles right away, before the frosting has a chance to set, to ensure they adhere properly. This versatility makes the recipe a staple for any home baker, whether you’re aiming for intricate designs or just a simple, delicious treat.
A Heartfelt Thank You & Happy Thanksgiving!
I extend my sincerest gratitude to my friend Leslie. Her patience in answering my many questions and her generosity in sharing these two incredible recipes were truly invaluable. From those recipes, I was able to create these delicious and beautifully decorated Thanksgiving treats. My entire family thanks you, Leslie, for bringing such sweet joy to our holiday season.
I apologize for the abundance of pictures in this post! I simply couldn’t decide which ones to use, so I decided to share them all to give you a full visual feast of these festive cookies. I hope you have a wonderfully Happy Thanksgiving, filled with warmth, gratitude, and perhaps, some homemade cookies!
If you’re looking for something a little more kid-friendly to involve the younger ones in the Thanksgiving festivities, be sure to check out this adorable Thanksgiving turkey treat from The Idea Room. The kids are sure to love making and eating them!
Cut Out Sugar Cookies
from The Hungry Housewife
Thanksgiving Cookies: Turkeys, Leaves & Pumpkins, Oh My!
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon almond or vanilla extract or a mix of both
- 3 cups ap flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Royal Icing Cookie Glaze
- 6 oz 3/4 cup warm water
- 5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 ¼ pounds powdered sugar
Instructions
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Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and the extract and beat to incorporate. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
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Divide the dough into 2 portions and roll to 3/8″ thick in between 2 sheets of parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
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Remove the dough and cut your desired shape. Place the formed cookies back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Take the scraps and re roll them to 3/8″ in the parchment paper and re chill before cutting out again.
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Preheat oven to 350 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Bake your cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet (resist the urge to add parchment. These don’t make a mess, but the parchment can cause spreading) for 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of your cookie. (Mine were done in 9.5 minutes)
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Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
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Cool completely before icing.
Royal Icing Cookie Glaze
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If your meringue powder does not have any vanilla flavor in it, you can add a teaspoon of CLEAR vanilla.
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In a mixer bowl, pour the warm water and the meringue powder in and whisk for about 30 seconds until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and whisk for another 30 seconds. Pour all of the sugar in at once and place on the mixer.
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Using your paddle attachment, on the lowest speed, mix slowly for 10 full minutes.
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Icing will be thick and creamy (like Elmer’s Glue). Cover the bowl the a damp cloth to prevent drying and crusting.
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If you find the icing too thick, you can thin it by adding in water by the Tablespoon.
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TIP: To test, lift your paddle attachment. Watch the ribbon of icing fall back into the bowl of icing. It should disappear before the count of 10. If it doesn’t add a little water at a time until it does.
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
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