Got kids who want to get in on the cookie decorating fun? This is our favorite way to make it fun for kids and pain free for moms!
Actually Having FUN Decorating Cookies with kids
That is what inspired this cookie. I decided this year that I was not going to go down the path of multiple colours and thicknesses of royal icing. I was not going to broker negotiations over whose turn it is. Not going to want to pull my hair out when we were supposed to be having FUN. So here they are, my simple, fun, delicious Eid cookies, painted with gel food coloring and with lots of joy and love.
Food Coloring for Painting Cookies
In my preliminary research I found people preferred gel food colors like the Wilton or Atecco ones for food coloring. We tried a several and the liquid food coloring in the baking aisle and each has it's perks. In other words use what you can easily get and have fun with it. Put a dab of each color on a clean plate or palette, hand your kids brushes and let them at it. Eid cookies ought to be fun 🙂
There are now TONS of natural options out there for food colorings if you're looking for naturally dyed food colors!
Mama tip: Put plastic mats or newspaper underneath where they are painting and keep paper towels handy.
Royal Icing for Decorating Cookies
For this project I used half a 400g bag of royal icing from Bulk Barn.
The trick is to add just enough water that if I drop it back on to itself it then it disappears in 15 seconds. That consistency is perfect if you want to make just one icing to cover the cookie.
Pipe it on with a squeeze bottle or icing bag or just gently dip the tops into the white icing. Let it dry till completely hard . This requires a few hours of patience with decorators royal icing and overnight patience for a DIY version (in notes).
If you are looking to make more than 20 cookies then check out these other two delicious versions below!
Eid Sugar Cookies (Small batch)
Equipment
- Icing Sheet
- Squeeze Bottle/Piping Bag
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg yolk to bind (can omit, see notes)
- 1 ¼ cup flour (plus extra for rolling)
- pinch of salt
Royal Icing
- 200 g Store bought royal icing mix OR (below)
- 1 ½ cup Icing Sugar
- 2.5 tbsp Milk
- ¼ tsp Vanilla
- ⅛ tsp Salt
For Decorating
- a few icing colours (small amounts, a few drops go a long way, for gel colours dilute with water)
- brushes
- for an alternate decorating idea read notes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
- Mix the butter, sugar and lemon zest until just smooth.
- Mix in the egg yolk, beat 30 seconds.
- Add in the flour and salt and mix, the dough will look crumbly but come together when pressed together.
- If it is hot where you are then chill the dough for 30 minutes
- Generously flour your surface and dump out your dough, press togehter, lightly kneading to create a smooth flour. Depending on where you are you may want to add more flour.
- Roll out the dough about ¼ inch thick and cut with cutters of choice.
- Bake till the edges are golden - 10 minutes for medium sized cookies, adjust for smaller or larger ones.
- Knead dough again, roll and cut cookies until it is used up
- Let the cookies cool completely before icing.
Royal Icing
- If using a royal icing mix follow package decorations for a stiff icing then gradually (very gradullay, drops of water at a time) add enough water that the consistency is toothpaste like. A spoonful dropped back into the icing should disappear in 15 seconds. Tap the bowl gently on the counter to deflate air bubbles.
- If making royal icing then mix the icing sugar, milk, salt and vanilla on low speed until just combined, adjust the thickness by adding more icing sugar or water to get the consistency described above.
Decorating
- To decorate the cookies you can put your icing in a squeeze bottle or a piping bag and do a smooth white base. You can also gently dip the tops of the cookies in a bowl of icing and let it set. Use a skewer to pop any air bubbles.
- Icing mixes tend to set in a few hours, homemade royal icing needs to sit out overnight.
- When it is time to paint bring out your icing colors, put them on a plate or palette, take a deep breath, give your kids brushes and smile 🙂
Notes
Fariya lakhani says
I am about to make these with my little one today inshAllah. Want to ask if the butter needs to be melted or soft or fridge one.
Jazakallah khair
Sarah Mir says
Oh gosh! I am SO sorry I am just seeing this - hope they turned out ok! for the record room temperature so you can press it easily but it's not melted
Mehwish Anwar says
Sure kids will love it.
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Oh absolutely! Mine are huge fans!