I made my First RBC covered cookies and decorated with Royal Icing. These are just a trial, so I didn't go all out on decorating them, but here are the main problems I had...
You can tell how much my cookies spread and they spread WAY TOO MUCH! I didn't have this problems before, so wonder why I'm having this problem now? I didn't do anything different except put them on sticks!
And I am also including a picture of how I was kinda thinking of doing the cookie bouquets. I wanted to do them fairly small because people around here wouldn't want to spend too much and I think I'm gonna sell these for around $8. But, it still looks like it's missing something! Please be honest...I need all the help I can get!!!
I think that your cookies look great! I love your decorations...very creative, they don't look like just practice to me! 
I can't help with the spreading problem because I've only made cookies one time but just wanted to tell you that yours look great. It seems like I read that if you chill the dough first it keeps them from spreading so much...don't trust me on anything though. There are so many knowledgable people on here..I'm sure you'll get some great suggestions!
I think that the bouquets look cute! They are simple but it makes the decorations on the cookies stand out more. I think they will sell well!
your bouquet is lovely! Did you rechill the dough after the cookies were cut? That would be my only suggestion. If so, maybe try it just a tad thinner. I think those are adorable and even I would pay $8 for such a cute bouquet (which means you are probably pricing them low!!) I don't mean that in a bad way, but good. I don't purchase baked goods because I know I can make them. When I would purchase them, they must be VERY cute at a VERY good bargain!!!
Wow, I am really surprised that your cookies spread so much using the NFSC recipe! Did you use butter and follow the directions exactly? When I am really concerned about my cookies spreading, I used chilled dough, cut them out and put them on a cookie sheet in the refridgerator for another 15 minutes before baking. I think your cookies look really cute, great design. I am not sure if anyone but "us" would even notice they spread so much.
I'm brand new to cake central and love this site! Your cookies look awesome, love the designs! I bake cookies ALL the time and find that mine spread more if the dough isn't thick enough. Try kneading a bit more flour in your chilled cookie dough before rolling it out and see if that works. When my dough has the right "feel" to it and consistency the cookies keep their shape. Also, do you put the sticks in after you bake? I put mine in as soon as the cookies come out of the oven so I don't alter the shape. In my area you could sell that bouquet for $15 easy, it's packaged great!!
Ya'll are all so kind!!!! I chilled the dough before cutting them, but then I put them directly on the cookie sheet & into the oven. I will try putting them in the fridge first and see if that helps! And, I'm glad you think $8 is a good price. Hopefully I will get a good amount of orders!!! Now I'm off to bake more cookies!
I think your cookies look great! 
And I love the way your bouquet looks, just as it is. (I don't know how much the little bucket was, but I would also guess you are pricing them a little low--but I tend to do that, too.) If you really feel like they are missing something, the only thing I could think of was maybe to pull your red "grass"/stuffing up a little more, so that a little shows around the edges of the bucket and bottom of the sticks? But IMHO, it really does look just fine as is!
I'm brand new to cake central and love this site! Your cookies look awesome, love the designs! I bake cookies ALL the time and find that mine spread more if the dough isn't thick enough. Try kneading a bit more flour in your chilled cookie dough before rolling it out and see if that works. When my dough has the right "feel" to it and consistency the cookies keep their shape. Also, do you put the sticks in after you bake? I put mine in as soon as the cookies come out of the oven so I don't alter the shape. In my area you could sell that bouquet for $15 easy, it's packaged great!!
Ok, I'll definitely have to try putting the sticks in as soon as they come out of the oven. I put them in before baking.
Wow, maybe I should bump my price up to $10 and see what happens!!
Thanks!!!!!
I think your cookies look great!
And I love the way your bouquet looks, just as it is. (I don't know how much the little bucket was, but I would also guess you are pricing them a little low--but I tend to do that, too.) If you really feel like they are missing something, the only thing I could think of was maybe to pull your red "grass"/stuffing up a little more, so that a little shows around the edges of the bucket and bottom of the sticks? But IMHO, it really does look just fine as is!
Thanks!! I will try pulling the grass up a little next time.
I really didn't expect this many responses! Ya'll are GREAT! No wonder I am addicted to CC!!!!!!!
Your cookies look awesome. As far as the bouquet it looks good, I think the bottom just needs something. Like adding red and white tissue paper or something. It could just be the picture and that it looks empty but the is the ONLY thing I would change.
i think the cookies look great. i also think you are undercharging. i guess if you want more orders you're priced right. maybe one constructive thing...maybe if you pulled some of the cookie bag to the bag and taped it down, to give each cookie a more finished look. i see a lot of bag. the cookies are so cute you want to see more cookie and less bag. i hope you have so many orders you don't know what to do!!
Thanks kneadacookie....so do you mean pull the bag to the back of the cookie and tape it? I was considering maybe buying some shrink wrap bags and using those. That would probably look better, too. Don't know if I will get those before Valentine's Day yet, though.
About the pricing, I asked 2 different people from our area what they would pay for something like this. The first - a real estate broker - said she would pay between 7.50 and 9. The second - a college student - said she would pay 8.50, but she also said that it was different and there was nothing like that around here, so she thought they would sell very well. So, I think I am gonna charge 8.50 and an additional 50 cent if they want them personalized. I figure If I make 45 bouquets, then I'll make a $200 profit. At least it will get my name out there.
Your bouquet is very cute...I am making some with 4 cookies for $12 and 6 cookies for $15. I found some really cute LIP cookie cutters I am going to include with different versions of hearts. I think your cookies did spread because maybe the dough wasn't cold enough..did you place them on a too hot cookie pan?...Let the pan cool if you just used it before using it again..
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%