I'm a cookie newbie! Here is my problem....

I will be making Baby Shower cookies in june. I have the recipe down for the sugar cookies (no fail sugar cookie recipe), however how do you get a neat and clean look for the base icing coat? I have tried to use royal icing and have dipped, poured, outlined and filled in, but there has to be and better way. How does everyone else do this? Any ideas would be great. It doesnt have to be royal icing, but the cookies will be placed in bags after, so just something that will hold up. thanks to all of you advanced cookie pros!!!

Great question! I need to know as well...

I use MMF on my cookies, don't have the time for royal. I still work full time ane I may have 25 or so cookie bouquets do complete for the holidays. I would like to try royal icing one of these days when I have some time off.

I use royal icing but very thin. Maybe you need to do a bit thicker coat for the base. I usually do an outline with a little stiffer icing then thin it out and fill it in....Sorry no new ideas for you.

I am by no means a "cookie pro" but you could use either rolled buttercream or MMF...both recipes are on this site. You cut them out with the same cookie cutter and then place the shapes on the cookies. It gives you a nice clean edge and it is quicker than using RI. You can still you use RI for details on both and both can be bagged and stacked. HTH

My favorite way to cover a cookie - use MMF! The fondant tastes great, and you just used the same cookie cutter to cut out the shape. Place the fondant on the cookie as soon as they come out of the oven and the MMF will "mlet" into the cookie a little - sticking erfectly. Once the cookie has cooled and the MMF has hardened back up (a few hours) they can be bagged, stacked, etc... Plus you can use royal to add any details you want.

This is so fast, easy, and looks great every time. I even had some covered in royal icing and some covered in MMF, and people liked the taste of the MMF cookies better. I have other tips to if you decide to go this route....

how do you stick mmf to cookies?

If you put the MMF on while the cookie is still hot, the marshmallows melt a little and the MMF sticks on the cookie without using anything. You can also do it once the cookie is cool by using a little bit of corn syrup.

I use my own recipe for cookie icing instead of royal, but it's pretty runny when I use it. I always drip some back into the bowl, or run a knife through the icing, and if it comes back together with no bumps or lines in it after 10 seconds, then it's the right consistency. Then I just flood the cookies with it.

ROLLED BUTTERCREAM....WITH ORANGE EXTRACT....
AND IT'S EASY...CAN ALSO USE RI WITH IT FOR DETAILS.

Same here.....a fondant or RBC base (Satin Ice is my fav fondant) works well for a smooth base. Then there are cookie pros like Antonia74 that gets a flawless finish every time with royal. *jealous* I don't have the patience for a royal base either.

I like using fondant - MMF, Satin Ice, or rolled buttercream - the rolled buttercream is kinda shiny and looks a little greasy - but it still tastes great. I've used it on my halloween cookies in my gallery..... and I used Satin ice fondant on my cookies on my KY Derby cake - it's a more "matte" finish. Either way - I like using that kinda stuff butter than royal icing - I never had patience for royal.

I've done it both ways, fondant on the cookie (using either corn syrup or apricot perserves for glue), chocolate clay covering the cookie or flooding with Royal Icing. All have their own unique yet very professional look. It all depends on what you're going for.

I base coat all of my cookies with a mixture of powdered sugar and milk... add some flavoring too. Get it to the consistency that it flows off your spoon in a thick clump, and then spread to the edges. It just takes some practice. I don't have the patience to outline first.

When I took a cookie class last year, we were taught to use royal icing in varying consistencies depending on what we were doing (coating, outlining, etc.). We used a sugar cookie recipe. The cookies were beautiful and tasted good right then. In a couple of days the cookies were rock hard, not edible. As I started to experiment on my own, I found that I like the butter cookie recipe much better. They are delicious and the cookies last for a couple of weeks. I also now use marshmallow fondant or rolled buttercream. I use royal icing or regular buttercream for details. If I am only outlining I use buttercream, let it crust then place in cellophane. I've never had one smoosh yet.

To apply my MMF or RBC, I apply a thin coat of buttercream and lay the MMF or RBC cut from the same cookie cutter as the cookie.

I have also found that to get a perfect edge around your cookie, you can take a very sharp knife and very very gently cut away the edge.

I really like the MMF on cookies. Just be sure to have the fondant already cut out with the same cutter before your cookies go into the oven so it's ready when the cookies come out and immediately put it on the warm cookies. That way there is no need to adhere it , it just sticks. Once they have cooled you can decorate with royal or antonia's icing, let them dry a few hours and bag.

After you put the RBC on the cookie can it be frozen? I have three seperate occasions that I need cookies for in the next ten days and would like to do all of the cookies at once.

Thanks for all of the help!!! I will have to give the MMF a try with the royal icing for the details. You guys are great!!! Thanks again!!!

I use antonia's icing and technique for decorating cookies. http://www.cakecentral.com/article54-How-To-Bake--Decorate-Cookies.html It works beautifully everytime. I don't really like fondant, though I have never used it on cookies. I like the look of RI on cookies. Good luck finding what works for you.

I dont really care for RBC - Its a little greasy for me, so I'm strictly a RI girl! I dont like to do the outline/flood technique, though. It can look sloppy if you dont do it right (thats me!). I use about a med consistancy RI and just frost it to the edge with a small offset spatula. If your icing is too thin, it'll run off the side, so be careful with that!