Gas Station Cookies
I think I’ve got a tad bit of OCD. (C’mon tell me you haven’t already wondered? Maybe even if it’s more than a tad?) I mean, once I get an idea in my head that I want to try, it’s like I can’t let it go. Like these Esso/Imperial Oil cookies I made for a friend. Once the idea of making the 3D vintage gas pump popped in my head, it wouldn’t leave. I knew it would take more time to make than your average cookie, but it didn’t matter. More on how-to details later, but just warning you in case someone asks you to make 200 of these.
The logo cookies were simple enough to make with my Kopykake projector, as was this vintage Esso tiger:
The image below projected onto the cookie using the projector, meant all I needed to do was trace the lines with icing, section by section.
Here’s an almost finished pic I shared on Instagram, where you can kind of pick out the different areas I piped.
After the base of the tiger was dry, I added final icing details like his eyes and whiskers, and orange luster dust for a little more texture.
The idea behind these cookies was to surprise my friend’s Dad with Imperial Oil/Esso cookies as he works for the company and she was flying out to visit him. A little digging on the internet came up with some fun vintage images, like these two characters:
And these gas pumps and logos:
Again, the Kopykake was an invaluable tool for a drawing challenged decorator like me.
I used it for the logo cookies (Instagram pic above)…
and then added a little sanding sugar to adorn and clean up the edges.
And the gas pumps… In case you’d like to make them, here are the how-to steps, summarized:
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Basic Step by Step for the Vintage 3-D Gas Pump Cookies
- After you’ve made the dough, find the image you’d like to copy and cut out the corresponding-sized cookie shapes in your dough. You’ll need two rectangles per gas pump. (And two circles if you’d like to do the vintage ones I made. Technically, if you don’t want the round “light” on the top, one cookie will be thick enough… You could pipe the back and front of the gas pump on one cookie, and stand that on your base). Also cut out a large oval cookie for each base. Bake shapes and let cool.
- Make and color your icing. (White, navy, grey). All flooding consistency until the grey is thickened at the end.
- Pipe some grey gas pump handles on parchment paper or a transparency lightly coated with shortening. Let dry. These will need to be ready for the last steps of making these cookies.
- Pipe the grey base on the oval cookies.
- Pipe the navy base on the rectangles and one side of the circles. Let dry.
- Pipe a smaller, white rectangle on top of the navy. Let dry.
- Print edible image logos and gas pump face and cut them out.
- Adhere edible image circle logos, and the gas pump face logos, but do not adhere the logo on the front of the pump, yet.
- Pipe another white rectangle on top of the one you already made, this time piping around the edible ink image/gas pump face. This will create a little more depth. Let that dry.
- Now adhere the logo to the front of the pump (In my case, Esso logo).
- Adhere the edible ink logos to the other side of the circle cookies.
- Adhere the two sides of the gas pump together, with white royal icing. Use less than the amount in the photo, below. That was my “experimentation” cookie. Let dry.
- Thicken your grey royal icing, so that when you dip a spoon into it and pull upwards, a stiff peak will form. Pipe a generous amount of grey icing on the center of the oval cookie and stand your gas pump cookie in it. The icing should be thick enough that the gas pump cookie doesn’t need support, but be ready with things to help prop it up while it’s drying. Let dry.
- Pipe thick, grey icing on the top of the gas pump and add the circle cookie. Pipe a small amount of grey on the side of the pump and add the pump handle. Let dry.
- Cut some thin, black liquorice to size, and adhere it to the side of the pump, just underneath the pump handle. let dry.
- Package and tie with ribbon.
Excuse the bad lighting of the finished cookies… I forgot to take daylight photos of them before I gave them away.
A little idea in case you make the gas pump cookies and need to transport them – They survived the trip intact inside wine bottle containers. Yay! Speaking of which, how do you like to package your cookies if you’re shipping or travelling with them? I’ve got a post on how I ship them here, but I’m always game to learn more.
Happy decorating!
xo,
Marian
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Related posts:
{Video} Making Daisy Cookies with a Kopykake Projector
Dawn says
I dont know what else to say but, W.O.W. 🙂
Anita says
Wow! I am completely in love with the gas pump. The whole set for that matter!
Rowaida Flayhan says
Wow Marian so creative and so perfect
Best wishes
Miss Overballe says
amazing, so amazing! 🙂
niner bakes says
Marian,
what a treat to wake up to on a Monday morning!!
LOVE each and every single cookie!!
So perfect, so adorable, so cute!
Thanks for making my morning, girl.
XOXO,
niner 🙂
niner bakes says
Marian,
what a treat to wake up to on a Monday morning!!
LOVE each and every single cookie!!
So perfect, so adorable, so cute!
Thanks for making my morning, girl.
XOXO,
niner 🙂
ps. please delete the other comment? My old blog URL was in there, whoopsie lol
Roshini says
They are so cute. You are a perfectionist! I wish I had all your patience in making those details in the cookies. I love your blog
Gail says
They’re so nostalgic, Marian. What a wonderful gift to have given. They’re fantastic!!!
mandy dreen hinerman says
So creative, what a great throwback, made me remember the old Clark gas pumps, and about 20 cents a gallon. Fantastic job.
Tesei says
Amazing, simply gorgeous. Congratulations!!!!
Miss Cuit says
You did an amazing job on these! The tiger is spectacular! 🙂
Patti Gramza says
Marian you CookieQueen,
These are beyond fantastic and I am sure meant soooooo much to your friend’s Dad! I mean are you kidding??? He should flip, even though he may not appreciate the artwork that is involved in something like what you did here–he will see the absolute talents you have for sure! All the cookies are amazing, but the TIGER is my favorite! 🙂
Hugs,Patti
Marian (Sweetopia) says
Thanks so much for your comments!
Esther Dares says
Well Marion! What a great way to spend a weekend! You are a good friend. My daughter and I did the valentine hearts, they turned out beautifully. Thank you. We gave them all away to different places in our community, the Town Hall staff, the cabinet shop that is building my new laundry room, (YIPEE!) the nurses on each of the floors of the hospital, (my daughter works there) and in my B&B rooms for the Valentines Day guests. Look at all the joy you have helped to spread Marion. Take a Bow!
Deborah Stauch says
Simply stunning!
Kevin @ Closet Cooking says
There is some really amazing detail in those cookies! They look spectacular!
marla says
Girl, these cookies are stunning, so creative and I adore the vintage flair!!
lisa (sugarlily cookie) says
I absolutely LOVE these! That tiger cookie is no easy feat, even with a kopykake! Your posts are so much fun!
Maria says
Awesome cookies!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
You my friend, are amazing!
Robyn | Add a Pinch says
Oh my goodness gracious! These are amazing! You are amazing!
marian says
Thanks for your comments everyone! xo
marian says
Hi @ Esther Dares: I’m so glad you had fun making the heart cookies and that you spread the cookie love (isn’t that almost the best part?!) Thanks for your kind comment too. xo
Jenny Flake says
These could not get any cuter Marian!! xoxo
Julie @ Table for Two says
wow, these are gorgeous and so perfect!!
Maria Theresia says
how amazing… I have no better way telling you how wonderful your work always is. I love reading your blog.
But I would never be able to do any of your cookies like you. You are the BEST!
ML
Laura Perry says
Those are adorable!!
marian says
Thanks guys!
Esther Dares says
Marion, Spreading the “Cookie Love” is the best part for me. I love brightening peoples’ days. You make it look so easy that it is almost irrestible to not try.Thank you.
@ marian:
Jody Gardiner says
These look exactly like the cookies my cousin had made for my uncle (her dad) … Did you make these for Jackie B? I died when she posted on her FB thinking she made them & then she said someone else did.
marian says
Aw, @ Esther Dares, thank *you*!
Hi @ Jody Gardiner: Why, yes, I did! How cool is that, that you found me on the internet. Jackie B is my neighbour.
Kimmie says
Amazing……simply perfect!
Paula says
Simply blown away by all of these cookies. I wish I could have seen the expression on your friend’s father’s face when these were delivered to him.
marian says
Thanks, @ Kimmie!
@ Paula: He and his colleagues seemed to like them – sent me a lovely note in the mail.
Kim says
WOW – Amazing – you are one talented lady!
Karenb says
OMG These cookies are truly amazing!!! My husband even looked at them and raved!! You are such a good friend!!!
Aimee @ Simple Bites says
Wow, Marian, I am amazed as usual. I love the vintage flair and the primary colors really pop. Well done!
Hani@hanielas says
These are wonderful Marian.
marian says
Thanks for the kind comments! xo
Maria in NJ says
that tiger cookie looks too nice to eat…
sue @ cakeballs, cookies and more says
I so need a projector I would be the best with that, mine are all squiggles as it is now LOL
bridget {bake at 350} says
Marian…you seriously create works of art. Just gorgeous, my friend!
Amy says
Wow. You impress me every single time. You are truly talented. AND patient, man.
IFeelCook says
Such wonderful cookies! Congrats, Marian, they are very cute 🙂
marian says
Haha @ Maria in NJ 😉
Oh it helps me SO much, @ sue @ cakeballs, cookies and more.
Thanks @ bridget {bake at 350}! Yours are too!
Lol, @ Amy: Yes, a few of these cookies took a little extra patience… guess it’s all in what one likes to do.
@ IFeelCook: Thanks, hope you’re doing well!
Kim says
Outstanding!!
Wati Rahman says
Those just took my breath away!
Cecily says
These are so great.
brantcookies says
I’m competely blown away by the tiger, I can’t even wrap my head around how you did it! So amazing!! Do you ever have problems with dark colours bleeding into the white? It’s happened to me a few times, just wondering?
Kelley Hart says
You’ve totally outdone yourself this time! Flawless and very inspiring!