I finally got around to making my Halloween cookies with a few days to spare.
It’s no secret that I usually need a little help in the drawing department, so I pulled out the KopyKake drawing projector and scrapbooking tags for my decorated Halloween cookies this year.
You might not be able to tell, but the center of this circle cookie has a clear, candy coating. Here’s another example:
Have you heard of isomalt
*Note – you can achieve a similar, colorful look by crushing Jolly Ranchers
Before it’s heated, isomalt
You can either pour it into the center of your raw cookie shape, and then bake them together, or you can boil the isomalt to a temperature of 154 degrees Celsius or 310 degrees Fahrenheit, where it looks like this:
Then pour it onto parchment paper and use a metal cookie cutter to make the impression of the shape you want. The isomalt cools rapidly, so when it’s ready to handle, break off the edges and you’re left with your shape. Adhere the piece of isomalt to your cookie with royal icing.
I did learn not to pour the isomalt onto a silpat though (See below). It picks up every little impression. Use parchment paper!
Of course I couldn’t resist making some other cookies and decorating with disco dust
Wishing you a Happy Halloween!
@ Marian:I couldn’t find it at Walmart or Publix. Michael’s doesn’t have it either – I figured maybe in their Wilton baking section they would have it. I think I will try Target this weekend, see if I have better luck. Thanks for researching.
Oh, despite my email address I live in U.S.
Hi Ivona, that makes it easier! Have you tried your local grocery store? It’s usually in the spice or baking section. It’s usually in a small orange container here in Canada. You can also usually find it in a bulk food store.
I just remembered I have a picture under my cookie decorating tutorial here.
I’m hoping for the small KopyKake Projector for Christmas but my husband came up with a great idea a couple years ago for me to be able to draw pictures on frosting sheets and wafer paper. (Of course you have to draw it and then place it on to your cakes or cookies and it’s not nearly as easy as projecting onto something…but) I set 2 TV tables up and put the copy of what I want to trace in between 2 (8×5) pieces of plexiglass. The frosting sheet or wafer paper goes on the top. Space those tables as far apart as the plexiglass will safely sit in between them. Place a light underneath the 2 tables in the middle and it will make the pattern come thru good enough for you to trace it. (Of course you have to be care and make sure the bulb doesn’t get close to the art work…I bought a cheap desk lamp that bends and I keep the head of it as close to the floor as possible.)
Hope you didn’t mind me sharing this on your site Marian.
Marian,
Do you mind if I ask how thick you roll your cookies out? I’m thinking that I might be rolling mine out way, too thick since it takes 18-20 minutes to bake.
Rita, thanks for your ideas!
For cookie thickness, I make mine about 0.75 cm – 1 cm. The cookies will take longer to bake the bigger they are as well.
Hope that helps!
Fantastic!
S.W.A.K.
P.S. – Please come over to enter our 2nd Annual Halloween Contest/Giveaway – better hurry!
I just recently found your site and I have to say I am LOVING everything you do. I also appreciate your tutorials. Because of you, I am going to try to use royal icing for the first time. YOU ROCK!
oh wow, you are such an amazing artist marian, these cookies are soooo awesome and perfect!! i have never seen anything like it!
happy halloween!!!
Those are TOO beautiful! I am always amazed at what you come up with!! Maybe I’ll get brave enough and try them myself!
BTW, how did you get the lightning effect on the very last cookie? That is too cool!
These are WONDERFUL! You are an expert cookie queen!
Okay, you’ve finally convinced me to order that projector. I just hope my cookies look as good as yours! You are so creative and awesome for sharing your secrets, thank you!
These are so gorgeous! I even like the silpat pattern on that spiderweb cookie
Hi Marian,
I really enjoy your website and cookie creations. I’m still an amateur when it comes to cookie making but I make an effort to practice my skills and techniques by following your tips. I’m volunteering for the church bake sale next month and I’d like to ask where you get your packaging supplies from – particularly the plastic packages that you use for your cookies. I bought some wilton plastic package but they’re pretty expensive and I would be needing quite a lot.
Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Jenny
Thanks Jenny!
.
I find mine on line here
Or, do you live in Canada? If you don’t have time to wait for it to be delivered, and live in or close enough to take a trip to Toronto, there’s a great place called McCalls. Email and let me know.
Also, try your local bulk store.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the quick reply! I couldn’t seem to get to the online link. I will check McCall’s although a friend found a supplier in Toronto. Here’s the website in case anyone is interested:
http://www.creativebag.com/
I will try some of the simpler cookie designs from your website. Antonia74′s recipe is perfect for icing – tried it a few times. Thanks again for your help.
Jenny
Jenny; I’ve fixed the above link now. Thanks for the great info.!
I just found your site and I love your recipes/tips/etc. These cookies look fantastic!
Lost for words. Love the Isomalt. Lovely, looking cookies!
I absolutley adore everything you make. I hope to one day make something as beautiful.
I just found your blog through Ultimate Gingerbread, and I’m so happy I did! You’re cookies are **beautiful**!!
You’re work is incredible!
These are truly amazing! How long does each cookie take you???? I can’t even imagine!
Thanks Shelly! I’m not sure how long each takes me… I’m going to have to start tallying that.
These cookies are unbelievable!!! so perfectly designed and decorated. I just have a quick question…hoe do you get the icing so black? the few times that I tried to make fondant or royal icing that black I spend almost the whole container
Other thing…can you Please share with us how you use the KopyKake projector? Do they sell it in Canada? does it work for cakes? do you outline and flood the cookie first and then go back do you continue with the details? does it work to decorate the sides of a cake? Thanks Mariam for answering all these questions!
Hi Rossana,
I use Americolor black… I like it better than the Wilton paste coloring.
I got the KopyKake projector on line from the States -haven’t seen it in Canada online.
Cakes work as well; you just put whatever object you want to pipe onto, under the projector. Sides of the cakes though… hmmmm… I don’t think the head swivels that far, but that would be a great idea! I suppose you could lay the whole projector on it’s side and then project the image onto the side of the cake.
I promise I’ll do a tutorial on the projector!
As for cookies, I use the projector to help me draw the image, but it depending on the cookie I outline or not. For example, the princess cookies I have I outlined, let that dry and flooded later.
For the owl cookies I filled them in right away.
Hope that helps!
I tried the isomalt on gingerbread windows….baking it with the raw forms but it didn’t come out too well. I think it was because I tinted the isomalt with food coloring first in attempting to make stained glass windows. The jolly ranchers were ever so beautiful but in the deep south will weep when the humidity comes…so ended up with lifesavers. I did learn that once you heat up the isomalt it is too hot to drip into tiny window forms before it sets….by accident I realized too late that I could have spread the isomalt out and simply place my baked gingerbread window in the mixture top side up. It picked up the isomalt and made a beautiful window from the back side.
Love your cookies!
Thanks for your help,
Debbie
Thanks for the information Debbie! I’d love to see some images if you’d like to send them.
Thanks for the mention at Hungry Recipes!
Darling site, darling cookies! If you had time to answer,
where do you get your disco dust?? And is it edible? Thanks! Will be stopping by often 
Wow! I just came across your website and I am amazed at your cookies! I have always wanted to try this, but always chicken out and just make chocolate chip cookes or oatmeal so I can get out of decorating them. Your tips have totally given me the courage to put on my big girl panties and try it out!
) Thanks soooo much!
Carly, check out my post on how to apply disco dust here:
There are links to where I buy it.
Have fun!
Wow, those are fantastic cookies. You’re very creative !
These are the most beautifully decorated Halloween cookies!
I love all the ideas. I am going to try to print some designs onto my photoFrost sheets to put into isomalt. I have seen this done with christmas designs but not halloween. You have opened a new door for me thanks a bunch.
I DO NOT think you need help in the drawing department, i think YOU are great!!!
I heard that isomalt is not edible and should be cautious if you do consume it. Is this true?
@ Holly: Isomalt is edible.
Something I heard from a comment on this post here; http://sweetopia.net/2011/06/baby-shower-decorated-cookies/
…is that, how shall I say this delicately, it can cause flatulence when ingested in large amounts.
Hi,
Beautiful cookies. Do you write on the cookies freehand? If not please let me know what font for the kopy kake or stencils.
@ laura shields: Absolutely! I used the kopykake with scrapbooking die-cuts called, Spook Alley by Making Memories.
Marian, how did you do the lettering? Thanks
@ Paula: With the Kopykake projector and the scrapbooking die-cuts mentioned above.. and this technique:
http://sweetopia.net/2011/01/valentines-love-cupcakes/
HI!….May I ask what you do for a living??? i think I read earlier, in one of your blogs you do this for fun,family,friends..Girl. why on earth wouldn’t you want to make a business from your beautiful work! your very talented!!! you would make a killing! lolololoo….I was a cake Decorater for 7 years in a local bakery, and later did wedding cakes and birthday cakes on the side….I’m seriously thinking about getting in volved in starting my own bussines{homebased} making only Decorated cookies, n cupcakes…everyone at work calls me the “cake lady”..from the many treats i have brought in…friends keep pushing me to start my own bussiness, and well, since my work is going thru many changes, that most of us don’t care for….maybe, this is good timing..lololo…You, are an inspiration to me!! Gail, is an inspiration to me, sugarbelle as well, I didin’t know these blogs existed till this past week, I punched in cookies on fb..and you all popped up! I wished i known sooner….i could have saved some money on books..lololol.Thankyou! for ur encouraging website! ur all AWESOME! God Bless!!!
p.s.. How in the world did you do the lettering on ur Halloween cookies??????? it looks like royal icing?? but, such perfect lettering…is it hand written???? also..ur Halloween cookies are AWESOME…they remind me of a “Bethany Lowe” Decoration..whom I love!!…very old fashioned!like 1900′s LOVE IT! Great Job!!!!
Hi @ Davett Lee McClain: That’s so wonderful! I think you should start your business again! And yes, I don’t do this for a living, but kinda secretly want to.
I do love my day job – I teach Culinary Arts at the High School level.
p.s. The lettering is hand piped with royal icing. Thanks for all your nice comments!