More Cookie Details

So I realized that I haven't even mentioned much about what the cookies taste like and other specifics, so I'm going to share that with you now :)  Isn't that nice of me?  I thought so :)

The cookies I currently make are what I would consider a shortbread cookie.  From what I've researched, sugar cookies and shortbread cookies are very similar, but I feel my recipe falls more in line with a shortbread cookie (lots of butter - yum!).  They are quite delicious!  I use both almond and vanilla extracts in my cookies.  This however, can be customized for you should you prefer something like lemon, strawberry, peppermint or really any other extract available at the store.

They are decorated with a royal icing that is flavored with almond extract.  This can be somewhat customized as well.  However, due to the nature of the icing, it can only be flavored with an extract that does not contain oil.  I currently don't know what those are, but should you be interested in something else, let me know and I'll find out :)

If you have any sort of food allergies, these cookies likely aren't for you.  They contain wheat, milk, and eggs.  They are also produced in a "facility" (aka my home kitchen), that may also have peanuts, peanut butter or other various nuts around if you are highly sensitive to those.

I prefer thicker cookies, so my cookies are about 3/8 - 1/2 inch thick.  However, should you prefer a thinner cookie (such as 1/4 in.) I would be happy to do that for you, just let me know when you contact me.

I have also found a chocolate cookie recipe that I really want to try.  I just haven't had the time yet.  Hopefully, in the near future, you will have another option from me :)

Let me know if you have any other questions about my cookies :)  My email is located on the bar to the right.


Happy Friday!! :)

 

Cookies for Sale :)

So I've been very vague about selling my cookies on here because I was still researching the legality of it.  I'm typically a rule follower, but I also really wanted to be able to make cookies for friends and family even though I didn't know the rules yet (I had sold a few prior to knowing that I wasn't breaking any laws).  But, good news - it was all ok! One of the cookie blogs I read is actually a girl in Texas (about my same age too!) and I stumbled upon a post of hers that made me feel 1000 times better about a cookie "business."  I really LOVE making these cookies, but in the end, had I discovered it was not legal, I would have stopped selling them.  I'm a rule follower at heart, even though I started without technically knowing the rules.

But, lucky for you, Texas is smart and made it legal to sell baked goods out of a person's home kitchen.  Basically, in September of last year (yep - last year, had I discovered this talent sooner, I wouldn't have been able to do much about it) a law was passed allowing people to sell baked goods from their home without having to use a commercial/health department inspected kitchen.  Previously, a kitchen couldn't be approved if was part of someone's living quarters, so no matter how clean you could get it, a home kitchen would never pass.  But, Senate Bill 81 allowed for baked goods to be produced and sold from a person's home and not be subject to the Health Department.  It doesn't mean I won't handle your cookies carefully & safely, it just means that I can do it from my home rather than having to rent a commercial space.  If you are interested in more info on this, visit here.

Interested in some cookies from me?  Well here is what I offer...

Mini (approx. 1 in) - one shape, one design, up to 3 colors – minimum 3 dz per order (example)

Regular (approx. 2.5-3.5 in) - one shape, one design, up to 3 colors – minimum 1 dz per order (example)

Large (approx. 4-5 in) - one shape, one design, up to 3 colors – minimum 1 dz per order (example)

Regular  Specialty - regular size, 1 specialty design, +3 colors  – minimum 1 dz per order (example)

Large Specialty - large size, 1 specialty design, +3 colors  – minimum 1 dz per order (example)

Assorted - regular size, 2-3 designs, 3+ colors - minimum 2 dz per order (example)

You can also add individual treat bags and ribbon for an additional cost per cookie. (example)

Currently I am not listing my pricing as that is technically something I'm still working out.  If you do contact me, I do have current pricing for all of these, but it will likely be going up soon as there are costs to me that I didn't take into account and the amount of hours I spend to make them is quite high.  So, if you want them super cheap (for the cookie market anyway) then order soon!  Cookies that I have found online through websites & Etsy range from 2.50-7.50 a cookie depending on size, design, etc.  My prices are below this and will continue to be below or towards the lowest end of cookie prices, even if/when I need to raise them.

I also would like to recommend that you contact me earlier than later if you want cookies.  I typically need at least a week's notice, but more is always better.  My main job is still my family and they come first.  I can only accept, at max, a few orders per week.  As much as I love making these cookies, I love my son & my hubby more.  I need to make sure that I am still able to properly love & care for them and if I'm getting no sleep, that can be very difficult ;-)

Should you be interested, my email is located on the bar to the right.  You can request something I've already done, or I'm always open to trying new things :)  I have some of my cookie cutters pictured here, but have added quite a few since I posted that.  I'm also open to purchasing cookie cutters for specific requests, depending on the cost and what the order is.

Fun!

So I had a little extra dough leftover and I was really wanting to try some new designs/techniques I had seen online, so I decided to bake what was left and give a few things a try.  I'm so glad I did!  It was so fun and even though they all didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, I've learned from it and know that the next time I make the, it will go much better :)

 For this one, I outlined and drew a heart in the middle then sprinkled what the cookie world calls "sanding sugar" (aka sprinkles) on the icing while it was still wet.  Once that dried, I filled the rest in with pink icing.  Wasn't too hard or too terribly time consuming.  I like that!

 I saw these, and decided I had to give my own version a try.  This one was a frustration from the start, but I think it was because I was using the wrong tip & wrong consistence, so next time, it should go better.  In the end, it didn't turn out too badly.  It does take quite a bit of time though because you need drying time between each layer.

 This one I actually found a tutorial on Sweet Sugarbelle (awesome cookie blog btw), and thank goodness I did!  I'm not sure I could have done it without it.  I definitely need more practice, and my icing consistency wasn't quite right, but it was still fun!  Another very time consuming one though.  Also not sure I could do a large batch of these as my hand was starting to get tired after just two!

This one was pretty simple as well, and not too terribly time consuming.  There is a long wait time though before you can do the flower, but may use another technique I've learned to shorten that step if I make these again.

I can't believe I only learned how to do these kinds cookies in February.  All those summers I had off from teaching without a child, I could have been learning and perfecting my cookies.  Oh well!  I'm having so much fun, and am always looking forward to my next challenge :) 

Balloons, Texas, and More Flowers!

Edit: If you already read this post and are wondering what happened to the first set of flowers and why the post name changed, I deleted them because I realized I had already posted about them.  Oops!!  All these late nights decorating cookies are taking my brain!  Ha!

I got to make some cookies for a friend to give as a "Thank You" to one of her daughter's teachers.  I was a little nervous about the writing part at first, because I don't have the best handwriting with a pen, and wasn't sure how well it would work with a piping bag.  But, I'm pretty proud of them for my first attempt.  I think cursive is easier with icing than print though.

These were for a friend who wanted some cookies to send to her son who is away at college in Michigan.  I've never shipped any before, so hopefully they arrive safely :)  I really love how these turned out too!

 She ordered some for herself and some to ship :)

I decided to go ahead and try to package them myself because I wanted to figure out a way to ship in case I need to do it myself in the future.  I cut up a piece of foam board, wrapped it in saran wrap then put the cookie on it and wrapped it all in saran.  I then placed them in alternating spots in the box and put bubble wrap between the layers.  It felt pretty secure in the box.  I also told my friend when she shipped it to put that box in a bigger box with some packing material to protect the cookies more should other boxes be placed on top of it, etc.  I hope to hear that they arrived successfully!!

And last, but not least, I got to make some LARGE daisy flowers for a friend that is in an organization with me.   One of the symbols is daisies and she was headed to the convention, so she wanted some treats to share.

These are about an inch in diameter larger than the other flowers.  Here's a comparison...

Oh, and have I mentioned they taste as good as they look ;-)  Yum!!  Anyway, I hope you enjoy looking at them and those of you that have ordered them, I hope you enjoy eating them as much as I enjoy making them :)  Thanks to you all!!!