I have yummy news! I’m ready to share another recipe with you… A recipe I like to use as cookie decorating base… Melt-in-your-mouth, delicious, buttery shortbread.
The taste difference between it and my sugar cookie recipe is subtle, but this one definitely tastes like a traditional shortbread, and *gasp* has one whole cup of cornstarch in it! I couldn’t believe it when I first made it, and was a little doubtful about how successful the recipe would be, but it turns out that the cornstarch in this version of shortbread is what helps give the cookie a ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ sensation. Thanks to my dear friend Kim whom I adore, for sharing her family’s recipe with me… She’s not on-line, but she’s crazy about baking too, and we’ve experienced many sweet adventures together.
The original shortbread isn’t made with cornstarch and has quite an interesting history, b.t.w., and as it’s often served with tea, I thought it would be fun to make a few Alice in Wonderland decorated cookies with it.
Once Upon A Cookie
Kind of fitting with the whole tea time thing, are these Alice in Wonderland cookies. I can’t wait to make a whole series of other Alice characters, but for now I’m excited to be starting a series of just princess cookies copied from this piece of art. {Thank you, suisei-ojii-sama!} It’s the beginning of another theme I’m looking forward to playing around with… Cookies based on fairy tales, fables and nursery rhymes. There are so many inspirational images and characters out there, I’m looking forward to getting going on these! Besides making a fairytale or fable princess cookie or two each month, I’d like to also do a more extensive collection here and there, like Jack and Jill nursery rhyme cookies.
Do you have a fairytale, fable or nursery rhyme favorite? Which would you like to see cookies made of? Do you have any beautiful images of your favorites you’d like to share?
I haven’t forgotten about the travel theme either… Thanks so much for your amazing suggestions! I have so many great ideas now, thanks to you!
And before I share the yum, yum, yum shortbread cookie recipe, if you’re here trying to decide which recipe you’d like to try for your decorated cookies, I thought I’d do a little comparison between two similar recipes for you, shortbread and sugar cookies.
Cookie Recipe Comparison – Shortbread and Sugar Cookies
I noticed a few key differences between this shortbread and my sugar cookie recipe, which I’ll share with you in case you’d like to make them too:
- The texture of the shortbread dough after mixing is smooth and easy to
eatwork with. The sugar cookie recipe is a stickier dough, and needs to be rolled between parchment and chilled to be able to work with. The taste is worth it though! Both taste scrumptious, in my humble opinion, but the shortbread cookie is easier to make and work with. - The shortbread melt-in-your mouth taste is yummy, but it means the cookies break easier, unfortunately. They’re fine to serve in a bakery, for a function, give to friends etc., but if I were shipping cookies, I would chose the sugar cookie recipe.
Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try it out:
Shortbread Cookie {Recipe}
Sweet of the Month & Other Sweet Tidbits
A few sweet morsels of information I’d love to share with you:
- The Alice cookie shape was made by hand cutting the dough with a paring knife. Easy enough to do if you’re only doing a few cookies, but a heads-up in case you don’t already know, time-consuming if you’re doing a lot of them. There’s got to be a cutter out there you could use though (drop me a line please if you see one), or even just pipe her on a rectangular cookie.
- I used a Kopykake projector to help me pipe Alice’s shape.
- Click here for the royal icing recipe I used.
- Wouldn’t these adorable Alice in Wonderland printables from The TomKat Studio be perfect for a Wonderland party?! I’m thinking that when I make Alice cookies again (with more of the characters and images), I’ll need to attach these sweet tags from TomKat’s shop to the cookie bags.
- A new Sweet of the Month is up! I’ve changed it to monthly in order to give you more time to vote and more time to prepare if you’re interested in entering. You can find more information on the Sweet of the Month in the FAQ section and can vote for your favorite sweets HERE until February 18th, and if you’d like to enter into the next contest, watch out for a post announcing the dates. I’m thinking maybe we’ll make the next one a Spring/Easter theme.
Drop me a line below, do you have a fairytale, fable or nursery rhyme favorite? Which would you like to see cookies made of? Do you have any beautiful images of your favorites you’d like to share?
Have fun baking!
xo,
Marian
Just one word: Beautiful!
They are amazing!! I love all your desings!!
Thanks guys!
Hi@ Belinda Leigh: They were hand-cut, but LilaLola shared a suggestion above, using an umbrella cutter for the bottom and a bell cutter on top, to make the Alice shape.
@ Judi Taylor: I have a gluten-free cookie recipe here, although it’s not my favorite. I’m still experimenting:
http://sweetopia.net/2010/03/gluten-free-decorated-cookies/
@ Nicole/Life’s a Batch: Oh my goodness! All little works of art! Thanks for sharing! I’m thinking I won’t even do my Once Upon a Cookie Theme anymore…
@ Linda: Hearts, music notes, treble clefs, girl cookie, man cookie… Hope you have fun and if I think of any more I’ll comment again!
Generally about 3/4 of a cm thick, @ Anita, but honestly, I do whatever strikes my fancy that day. If you want to ship yours or are worried abou them being delicate, yes, make them thicker. (1cm)
@ Belinda Leigh: See the comment above regarding cutter (and I mention some info in the post).
@ Georganne (LilaLoa): Thanks for the idea!!!
@ Maya: Hmmm, i’d have to say no… they’re more delicate than sugar cookies. I haven’t actually tried though… If you’re even playing around and just want to try, make them pretty thick and see how it goes. Would love to hear!
@ Paige: Good idea, i will have to do that!
@ niner // sweet treats: No way! I checked and don’t see it, although there were thousands of spam messages, so I didn’t look far! xo
@ Donna: Interesting! I actually weighed out what I use. I’m thinking it’s because I aerate the flour first? (fluff it up with the measuring cup and then scoop). Either way, those are the measurements for this recipe. Not offended at all btw! If it were a mistake, I would want to know! Thanks for visiting my little corner of the world, and hope you like the cookies if you try them.
You never cease to amaze with with your decorating skills. LOVE your Alice in Wonderland cookies!
These look soooo cute!!! I love Alice. (i’d like to see what you do with the cat….). Someday you may like to try Little red Riding Hood. I will try your recipe ASAP.
This Alice cookie is so cute. It also reminds me of Madeline.
He everyone! Check out this idea on making your own cutters via Ali’s Sweet Tooth. Thanks Jacinda! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=223799851039204&set=a.191897767562746.48383.191647440921112&type=1&theater
Definitely still do it! I’m sure we all want to see.
OMG! JUST PERFECT!!!
Congrats on your work!
@ marian:
I was calling her Ali too. Hmm She had never led on. She did post one time and we hadasmall conversation on your page and said by theway Im Ali from Ali’s but that wa under a different name too. Funny. I like both names Stacey
OMG! This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve always been a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland so I’m definitely going to copy this so I can try it out! THANK YOU!
Scratch that. If I need the projector then there is no way.
Marian, Adorable!!! You are so Talented and always an Inspiration… xox Giu
Wish there was a video on this. They are awesome cookies.
Hi @ Judi Taylor: I asked my web designer’s lady, Taylor, who has baked in a gluten-free bakery and eats gluten-free as well, what she would do and she said:
The only thing I can suggest is to add lemon or orange zest, maybe more vanilla or almond extract? or another form of GF sweetner. When I’ve made sugar cookies I’ve added the lemon for us…and we seemed to like them! Hope that helps…
@ Jill: If you can draw a bit (I’m not good at drawing freehand), you could probably do the Alice shape, it isn’t too detailed. xo
@ Jill:
JILL I HAVE SEEN YOUR COOKIES. YOU COULD SO DO ALICE FREE HAND. YOUR COOKIES ARE AWESOME.
Your cookies are beautiful…as usual:) I especially love the mushroom decorated cookies with the disco dust…too cute!!!
Thank you for sharing your recipe and tips! I’m definately going to try this:)
Here I go again, better twice than once haha..
Marian I absolutely adored this post!
All the things you’ve seen when you were a child, all the kids movies and shows, really forms a child’s character. And to renew this feeling by making cookies with such nice “iced” characters…is just giving me goose bumps, so so awesome.
My absolute favorite two movies when I was very young, way under 10, were Pete’s Dragon and the 10 Cats. Since you know German, see this video here. It is absolutely adorable. The cats on a cookie arent too hard either, the form of the characters is really simple.
The dragon as a cookie design would be thrilling to seeee.. I just love this character. So so cute.
Anyway..I am reminiscing and I am sure I will watch one of those moves soon, can’t forget your past
Your post was just so awesome, how detailed Alice looks like!! I love your work!
I need a Kopykake projector to pipe the lines of the dragon, one day haha.. It would be the best to see it on a cookie.
Have a great day, sweetie.
Muchmuch love as usual,
niner
xoxo
have always admired your work, but this one takes the cake!! i absolutely am in love with this alice in the wonderland. You work with perfection! I get on your site almost everyday and u inspire me to bake more!!
Very cute!! How did you make the glittery red mushrooms?
beautiful! as usual!
I love all of your work!
but I was wondering, do you have for each shape a cookiecutter? or do you just cut it out with a knife or so? otherwise it will become a very expensive hobby for me, haha!
Just adorable!! You are so inspiring!
My favorite Disney character. It looks absolutely amazing!
does this shortbread spread or puff up. does it hold its shape good? i am looking for a recipe which can hold its shape. tastewise which one is good sugar or shortbread
hi! i love these cookies! how long do you bake the shortbread cookies for? i didn’t see the time on the recipe. thanks for your great ideas!
I was thinking bell and mushroom cutter.
Hello Marian I am writing you from Colombia SA, sorry my english is not so good, but I’ll do my best so we can share through this beatiful page you gave us.
I want you to thank you because you made me want to start cooking.
It is possible to add the accurate measure in the sugar cookies recipie?, I am having some problems …. Thank you.
Thanks @ niner // sweet treats: I love those examples! xoxo
Aw @ anita rao: It’s people like you who keep me wanting to help. Thank you! xo
@ Bobbi: Disco dust. Here’s a post:
http://sweetopia.net/2009/12/how-to-apply-disco-dust/
@ Meggie: Hi there! I mention towards the end of the post that I hand cut it and there’s a bit more info. there. And yes, it would be expensive!
@ pearse: It puffed up a tiny bit, although I didn’t follow all these tips here: http://sweetopia.net/2011/04/top-8-tips-on-preventing-cookies-from-spreading/ Comparing the two doughs without doing the ‘preventing spreading’ tips, I think the shortbread spreads less.
Taste- both. Textures are different. (see comparison).
@ vicky: It’s in the notes. =)
@ D.J.: Awesome idea, thanks!
@ Maria: I need to do that! Sorry, it’s not ready yet. xo
I love your work! Just adorable!!
Marian, this is the most beautiful Alice I’ve ever seen. You never fail to make me smile from ear to ear.
These are absolutely beautiful!
I’ve just started to decorate cookies in addition to my cake and cupcake works. I find that even for some reason my icing dips in the middle when it dries. Not always but about 60% of the time. I use your recipes and they work great but i must be doing something that causes these dips and since i like to paint on myncookies the unevenness of thensurface shows up.
HI @ Giovanna: Try filling the inside of your cookie with more icing, either when you’re piping it or you can push the icing around with a toothpick after you’ve piped it on. Another thing to check for, are your cookies concave?
@ marian:
Thank you! Can’t wait to make these!
I’m pleased to see this post as over here in England I always use shortbread as my base for decorated cookies : )
I’m eating these plain, no frosting, as I type this. They are definitely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! My husband took one off the cooling rack before it was completely cooled, took a bite and it crumbled into 1,000 pieces! The dog had quite a treat, and I hope husband learned his lesson
Thank you for a keeper of a recipe!
P.S. I added lemon zest and vanilla. I’m going to frost with chocolate ganache.
Thanks!
Marian I tried the shortbread recipe today and you are sooooo right about the dough being easier to work with, reminded me of play dough
. I am not sure what I did wrong…followed the recipe to a T and baked at 350 for approximately 15 minutes. As I tried to remove them off the. Police sheet to cool they would fall apart. They tasted amazing but were sooooo fragile. Anyone have any suggestions? Mine were also a lot paper than your cookies but goldenish on the bottom. Your Alicea aré puuuuuurfect as usual. Xoxoxo
I loooove those sparkly red mushrooms, you are so talented, I would frame these cookies not eat them! Soooo beautiful!
So, yeah….this is what cookie perfection looks like. I don’t think I’ve ever seen cuter cookies. Well, besides all of your other designs!
Just stunning, Marian! ♥
I’m speechless. Those are absolutely stunning – and I love the Alice theme, too!
Glad to hear it @ Victoria: I was really pleased with the shortbread recipe and am a new fan of this type of cookie!
LOL @ Anita Peterson: That’s too funny! I can just picture you in the kitchen with your husband and dog!
I’m totally going to dip mine in chocolate next time (for a snack while I decorate or for a quick decorating idea when I’m in a time pinch)… Thanks for the inspiration!
@ Yvette: I’m thinking from what Anita said, and you know, I didn’t even think to mention it, I *let my cookies cool ON the baking sheet*. These cookies are fragile, and I’ll bet they really do need to cool 100% before they’re moved.
@ Brantcookies: Oh, you could easily make them – really!
@ bridget {bake at 350}, @ Nicola @ The Pink Recipe Box: Thanks!
@ Jany@SuperCuteCookies:
seriously talented artist.
OMGosh, these cookies are totally too cute!!!!
Your Alice cookie just makes me happy!
who doesnt love alice in wonderland! great cookie!
That is so cute and talented.
I pinned your Alice to Pinterest. I’d pick Pippi Longstocking as my favourite. Raggedy Ann and Anne of Green Gables would be next on the list. Isn’t it funny how many girl heroine types have red hair?
These are so cute! Alice is one of my favorite storybook characters, right behind Dorothy from the wizard of oz!
Wow!! Those are fantastic!!