I'm doing cutout cookies with royal icing - the outline, flooding, etc. I flooded them tonight and will do the next details tomorrow - but how do I store them tonight? Do I have to enclose them or can they just be left out?

I have left out cookies overnight with just a piece of wax paper ove them and they were fine. Just watch out for cookie thieves if you have them in your house.

i leave my sugar cookies on a cookie tray overnight with royal icing to dry. I don't lay wax paper on them otherwise the royal icing wouldn't dry (or it would and get stuck to the paper) If you enclose them the icing won't dry either, leave them out, if you want to cover them put something taller around them and drape a tea towel over that. This will still allow air to flow around them, but no "dirt" to fall on them

I lay paper towels on my cookies if they need to be left out, just make sure the icing isn't wet to the touch. The paper towels will keep them covered and also allow the icing to "breath"....if you are just doing a small batch, I'd store them in the oven on a cookie sheet.

I have covered my trays of cookies with parchment paper after they have sat out for a bit to begin drying. The paper wont stick, just lay th parchment over it after it starts to crust over. I don't like leaving things uncovered because I dont like the idea of dust or (possible air-borne hair) floating around and having the oppertunity to settle onto the cookies. I hope this helps you

Thanks!

Someone on here gave me a tip to store them overnight to dry in the oven on cookie pans. Keeps them dust free, and I have a double oven with lots of racks, its was a great idea whoever told me!

I leave them on the trays and drape and plastic disposable tablecloth over them

Just recently I read on one of my favorite cookie blogs that leaving cookies out overnight, one, or even two nights in a row to let royal icing dry doesn't really affect the freshness of the cookies. The majority of the surface is sealed by the royal icing, keeping it the way you want.

I just tested this theory, taking 3 days to do some cookies (I over-extended myself, they were NOT that complicated as to take the whole 3 days. LOL) The cookies were perfect.

Hope this helps. Happy Baking to you!

~ Scott

I know I missed the boat on this one Wednesday (and you wouldn't have had them in time), but I use food tents like the ones used a picnics to keep my cookies covered while drying.

Here's a link:
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/food-tents-17-x-17--%28qty.-3%29-.do