Baby Shower Cookies

Baby Shower Cookies

Carriage and Onesies Baby Shower Cookies

For my sister in law's baby shower, I made some cookies for her special day. This is the first time I made sugar cookies for a baby shower, and it was fun trying something new. I made 50 cookies total, onesies and baby carriage shapes using Wilton cutters. She gave me the fondant, cutout letter D to place on the onesies to represent their last name. Since I do not know if the baby will be a girl or boy, the cookie icing colors used were white, pale yellow and soft green, although I was tempted to use light blue too. For some reason, I think it will be a boy! I use the Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing recipes from Joy of Baking (see link below).

For the Sugar Cookies, I add 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract, but you can use any extract you like. I made the dough one day ahead, covered in plastic wrap and chilled it overnight. Before you bake, be sure to line your baking sheets with parchment paper, so the cookies do not stick or break when you transfer them to wire racks. Let the cookies cool for 2 to 3 minutes, before you transfer them and use a cookie spatula. Let the cookies cool completely before you decorate them, about 1 hour.

Wilton Onesies and Carriage Cutters

I prefer Royal Icing with Egg Whites, instead of Meringue Powder and really like this recipe. There are two variations, one for the borders, and the other for flooding the cookies. If you need a lot of Royal Icing, you can double the recipe as I did. For the flooding recipe, I add a little water using a spray bottle (just spray little by little) at the end until I get the consistency I desire. If you need to thicken the Royal Icing, you can add a little more Confectioners Sugar.

Close-up of Onesies

To tint the icing, I separate it into plastic containers, and use Wilton Icing Colors Concentrated Gel in Lemon Yellow and Kelly Green. To start tinting the icing, dip a toothpick into the gel and combine with a small spatula. I continue this process until I reach the color I want. Use a new toothpick each time you dip to prevent icing getting into the gel color. 

Onesies drying

I transfer the colored Royal Icing into squeeze bottles and cover immediately. I use the larger squeeze bottles with the Royal Icing for flooding the cookies, and the smaller bottles to make the borders and designs over the flooded cookies. Be sure to keep Royal Icing covered when not in use or it will harden. If for any reason this happens, take a spray bottle filled with water and spray 1 or 2 times. Shake well and repeat until desired consistency returns.

Packing up the cookies

To decorate the cookies, I add Wilton White Sugar Pearls into a small glass bowl. Place parchment paper below the wire rack, so it catches extra icing or sugar pearls. Keep a few toothpicks handy in case you get bubbles when you add the flood icing to the cookies.

Cookies in parting gifts for guests - teacup sets, adorable!

Begin by doing borders around the cookies with the squeeze bottle and color of your choice, and wait until they dry. Then flood the cookies using a spatula to spread evenly. I decorate with the sugar pearls and place the fondant letter in the center of the onesies while they are still wet. For the carriage, after flooding the cookies, let them dry and follow with the border icing to make the wheels and swirls. While it is wet, place the sugar pearls where you like. Let them dry for 6-8 hours uncovered, and then cover and dry overnight. To pack the cookies, I bought a huge aluminum tray and between each layer of the cookies, placed parchment paper to protect them and covered the tray with aluminum foil. 

For the Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing Recipe, please visit Joy of Baking:

http://www.joyofbaking.com/SugarCookies.html

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys