I am constantly amazed by the cookies I see here on CC. I love the cookie bouquets. With Christmas coming up in 4 months I am seriously considering doing cookie bouquets as gifts.
Here are my questions
How thick do you make them (pics look like maybe 1/2 inch)
What is the best icing to use
What is the best technique to use to get the design on the cookie
Are the sticks put in before baking or after baking
What are the best sticks to use.
Any other tips/pics would be great
Thanks CC sisters!

Jibbies

I can try to answer a few of your questions and I'm sure others will jump in with additional info.

As for thickness, I usually roll mine about 1/4in thick, but I know others do 1/2in. Thicker cookies make it easier to put the sticks in them. The sticks can go in before you bake (you get fewer on a sheet this way) or after...either way works, it's just your preference. I use wooden bamboo skewers, as they are cheap and readily available in different sizes. For icing I alternate back and forth between Antonia74's royal icing and fondant. For me it depends on the design/look I am going for. HTH

You will probably get as many different ways to do cookie bouquets as there are decorators! Here's mine: I bake the stick in the cookie as it is just easier for me, and I use the Wilton cookie sticks. I lay the stick on the cookie sheet, then lay the cut-out on top (rolled to my usual 1/4" thickness). Gently press the dough around the stick, then bake.

For icing, I use a glaze that is pretty much the recipe for Toba's Glace or Wilton's Shiny Cookie Icing. I like to add some brite white food color to the icing, as it keeps the icing from getting cloudy and makes the icing a nicer white. I'm going to try MMF one of these days, but I haven't yet. Handle the cookie by the cookie, not the stick!

I use the green floral foam to put in the container to hold the cookies in place. When placing in the container, loosely wrap the stick with a square of tissue paper and then insert into the floral foam. Fill in with more tissue or shred.

Thanks girls.
Anyone else?

Jibbies

Anybody out there?

Jibbies

Well, I've never made a cookie bouquet, but I have earned a Cookie Bouquet PhD with all the information I have read on CC.

If I ever make a bouquet, this is my plan of action based on my little experience making cookies and what I've read about cookie bouquets:

[1.]Cookies will be 3/8 - 1/2 inch thick.
[2.]I will use bamboo skewers or cookie sticks and will place them in the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven, not before they go into the oven.
[3.]I will use Antonia74 icing, because it's always perfect.

That's my plan of attack. If you search CC forums for "cookie bouquet" you will find a wealth of information.

Hiya!

1) I roll my cookie dough 1/4". For me I find if I roll it out too thick, the cookie doesn't taste the same (according to my family and friends).

2) I've used MMF & RI. it all depends on the design and time I have. The wedding cookie on the left, I used MMF for the white and RI for the designs.

3) Best technique? a steady hand and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! I typically use the outline then flood technique. Also wet on wet RI technique.

4 & 5) Sticks? I recently started using wooden coffee stirrer. I like that their flat and wider than a bamboo skewer. here's a link to what I'm talking about.
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/7-5-wooden-coffee-stirrers-5000-cs/485R825.html

I've done both techniques. What works for me is pressing the stick on top of the shaped cookie dough and then place a small amount of cookie dough on top of the stick. It takes a little more time, but I found this technique minimizes the cookie from coming off the stick.

6) any other suggestions? Make sure you have a strong container like a flower pot or coffee mug. I've used pails and baskets and they're not sturdy to hold the cookies unless you weigh them down with something. Just like GeminiRJ, I also use a floral foam. If you have a dollar store near you, they sell precut floral foam that fits nicely into flower pots and mugs.

HTH! happy baking!

On some of the cookies bouquets they mention the decorations are done in fondant. Can any one let me know how this is done.

Jibbies

My cookies are approx. 1/4 - 1/2" thick. I "glue" my sticks on with Royal Icing. My cookies are covered with fondant and decorated with Royal Icing.

Heres the recipe for Rhondas Ultimate Fondant. The only thing I use on my cookies.

Rhondas ultimate MMF



15 oz. mini marshmallows

2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
2 tsp light corn syrup (helps w/ pliability)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 lbs (approx 7 C) confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 C Crisco or vegetable shortening



Grease microwave proof bowl w/ Crisco. Also grease wooden or
heat proof
spoon. Pour
marshmallows and water into bowl. Microwave for approximately
2 minutes
stopping and
stirring at 40 second intervals. Mixture should be soupy.

Take out of microwave and immediately add corn syrup, lemon
juice, salt
and extracts.
Stir well. Sift confectioner's sugar into mixture, one cup at
a time.
After approximately
5 cups, grease your hands well with Crisco and knead the
mixture in the
bowl. Add the sixth
cup and continue to knead. Now grease your work surface well
and turn
mixture out of bowl
onto counter. Sift remaining sugar, regrease hands, and knead
well.
If mixture seems soft,
add one additional cup of powdered sugar.

Shape into a mound and put a coating of crisco on outside.
Double wrap in
cling wrap and
insert into ziplock bag. Press air out of bag and seal. Allow
to rest

Thanks for the recipe.
How do you get the fondant on the cookie? Say you make a heart. Do you take the same cutter that you used for the dough to cut out a fondant heart the same size and adhere it to the cookies? Then you go back with RI and add details?

Jibbies

Bump

Yes, you use the same cutter, then pipe details in RI.

When I have made cookies using MMF, I cut out fondant using same cookie cutter. I do this while cookies are in oven. As soon as they come out of oven, I place cut out of MMF right on top of warm cookie. It helps the MMF to stick to cookie if you place it on while cookies are still warm. If you need to put them on after cookies are room temp. I think you can use piping gel (thin coat) to get it to stick. Then I use RI to decorate.

I stick my fondant on with karo syrup out of a squirt bottle.

I'm no expert...but I use NFSC or WBH Gingerbread(which unfortunately spread a bit) 1/4 " thick(I roll out between two sticks)....I'm not good at piping(cause I don't do enough) so I usually opt for fondant-on -fondant...I cut out all the coverings/decs ahead and cover with plastic wrap...apply right after baking...I bake a minute or so less,and then put them back into the oven for 1-2 mins with fondant on top(got that tip from someone on here I think)...have also used corn syrup to stick on decs AFTER baking and cooled...when I assemble "tops" before,water works to stick fondant to fondant as long as its not dried