Elegant Garden Baby Shower Cookies
These cookies feature a refined, floral-inspired look suitable for an elegant garden party theme. Garden-style details give these cookies a soft, upscale appearance.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters (plaque, arch, scalloped circle)
- Baking sheets
- Fine-tip brushes
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- 5 to 6 warm water Use enough for desired consistency
- As needed gel colors (ivory, dusty rose, eucalyptus green, soft peach)
For Decoration
- Optional edible gold paint
Instructions
- Prepare the cookie dough. Combine dry ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Wrap the dough and chill it for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the dough into plaque, arch, or scalloped circle shapes.
- Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, adjusting the time based on the size of your cutouts. Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack.
- Make the royal icing by whisking the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add the warm water slowly until you reach a smooth, floodable consistency. Divide the icing and color portions ivory and blush.
- Flood the cooled cookies with the ivory or blush icing. Let the cookies dry for at least 8 hours to achieve a smooth surface.
- Once dry, use medium-stiff icing to pipe delicate details like garden vines, small rosebuds, and tiny leaves onto the cookies.
- For a luxury look, mix the edible gold paint with a drop of lemon extract. Use fine-tip brushes to add tiny gold-painted edges or dots to the finished designs.
- For presentation, stand the cookies upright in a linen-lined tray or package them individually in clear bags tied with silk ribbon to serve as baby-shower favors.
Notes
If you are packaging these cookies for favors, allow extra time for the gold paint to dry completely before bagging them.