Cookies are too soft!

[Sharzi]

I hand paint cookies after flooding them with royal icing. I've been searching, and wasting many batches of new recipes without finding the perfect one.

Here is my dilemma....

1) one recipe spread so much you couldn't tell what the shape was.
2) next recipe was perfect, tasted wonderful, but right around the 2nd week, they were stale.
3) another recipe held it's shape but puffed up quite a bit and stayed too soft. Unless they were presented on a flat surface and in one layer, they broke.
4) yet another was already stale in a few days.

What I'm looking for is a sugar cookie that is soft only on the inside but the outside is crispy and firm... it has to hold it's shape and be able to last a couple of weeks.

Am I dreaming? lol

 

[Becky]

Unfortunately I think you're trying to achieve what can only be achieved with additives (ie like large-scale manufacturers do). If you want a long-lasting cookie, then I think your best bet would be to make something that is dry - the less moisture the longer lasting it will be.

I appreciate that this may not be ideal though. Do you need the cookies to last a long time so you have enough time to decorate them all? If you made them drier then this would certainly help, and maybe you could help balance out the dryness by sandwiching them together at the last minute? ie have a matching, un-decorated backing for each cookies sandwiched to the front with a yummy filling.

 

[Sharzi]

Becky, you are exactly right! I think I may go back to the drier one I was using. I do need them to stay as fresh as possible while decorating them. One day to bake, one day to flood, than usually 3-4 days to paint them all and each one needs a day or two to dry once painted. Seems every recipe I've tried gets stale by then except the recipe that spreads the cookies. But I'm wondering if I add a little more flour if that might take care of the issue. Looks like I have more experimenting to do.

 

[Becky]

In terms of stopping them from spreading, I've just remembered a method I've seen used for gingerbread shapes. Basically instead of cutting the shapes and removing the excess, you bake the whole thing. However if they tend to spread a lot I guess it might meld together during baking - depends on the recipe. You might be able to redefine the shapes partway through though. This video demonstrates what I'm talking about:

I hope you manage to find a solution that works for you, I love seeing photos of your painted cookies!

 

[Sharzi]

That chest is amazing! I see what you mean about how she baked it in one sheet. That would be worth trying! Thank you. More cookies for you to see.

 

[Becky]

Incredible! They're little works of art I really like the Star Wars ones

 

[Sharzi]

Thank you! I've been really busy with cookies. Took a break at Easter time, but back to it full time again. Rght now I'm working on cookies that look like meat. lol They're for a meat raffle.... ham, steaks, roast, bacon, etc. Here are some of the Easter ones I've done and an order for Muppet cookies.

 

[Sharzi]

As it turns out, the cookies were soft, but once the royal icing dried, they help up well. I made cookies for a meat raffle.

 

[Becky]

Those are awesome! From the thumbnails it looks just like meat

 

[Sharzi]

Exactly what they're supposed to look like. Were you able to view the larger pictures of them?

 

[Becky]

Exactly what they're supposed to look like. Were you able to view the larger pictures of them?

Yep, and they look great! I just meant that when you see a small photo (like the thumbnail) it's less obvious that they're painted cookies

 

[Buddy Baker]

That chest is amazing! I see what you mean about how she baked it in one sheet. That would be worth trying! Thank you. More cookies for you to see.

This kind of artistic ability intimidates the crap out of me! I'm envious of your talents! I don't think I have the eye or the dexterity to pull this off regardless of how much time and effort I could put into practicing!

 

[Sharzi]

I believe some people are just born with certain abilities. I realized at the age of 9 that I had artistic talents and I didn't have to do anything except do it. But ask me to do other things and I'm totally out of my element. That said, I have seen people take one small cake decorating course and produce some really gorgeous cakes. I think all one really needs is just the desire.