When it comes to decorating cookies, most of us go straight to us piping bags AND spray the jars, leaving little thought for the cookie underneath. But there's a whole world of beautiful cookies made without frosting (or any other filling!) by Alana Allred @sleepingmakesmehungry inspired us to try: printed sugar cookies made with colored cookie dough and nothing else.
An inquisitive baker by trade, Alana discovered the art of printed cookies simply by experimenting. “I like to apply art techniques in baking, like using potato prints in sourdough or spread with butterand this was just another experiment I wanted to try.”
To make printed cookies, prepare a simple cookie dough, divide into smaller batches, add food coloring, then cut or shape the colored dough into shapes that you place on a rolled cookie base. We recommend our use Cookies with cream cheese because of their higher fat content, which makes it easier to re-roll them several times, and our natural food colorswhich remain super vibrant even after baking.
Check out our Kye Ameden below to learn how to make printed sugar cookies:
When deciding which design to start with, Alana recommends using cookie cutters you already have on hand, which helps save time cutting shapes and keeps designs neat and professional. Once you've made a batch of cookie cutters, you'll get the hang of the process and be able to experiment with more freeform shapes and designs. There is no limit here: From pink strawberries and white daisies classic stars, Alana recommends, “Get creative and just have fun with it!”
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling Lydia Fournier.
