I Don't Know How You Guys Do It!

Baking By mcaulir Updated 11 Nov 2010 , 4:03pm by rb822

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mcaulir Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 2:12am
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Just finished my first batch of decorated cookies. Wow! They were so fiddly and time-consuming, and took up so much space while the icing dried for two days. They were pretty cute when they were finished, but what a saga.

I'm going back to cake and leaving the cookies to the rest of you! icon_smile.gif

23 replies
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Kiddiekakes Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 2:15am
post #2 of 24

Yup..This is why I raised my decorated cookies to $5.00 each..wrapped and such with ribbon..Very time consuming so I figure If I am gonna make them.I'm gonna get paid well for them....I hardly do have any orders but caking is what I like best..not the cookies..

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Kitagrl Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 2:18am
post #3 of 24

I much prefer cake to cookies too!

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Angel_Cake Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 2:25am
post #4 of 24

I'm about to make my first batch of decorated cookies next week... I'm thinking I'm going to like cakes better too, even baking cookies is more time consuming, I can't imagine decorating them too!

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Corrie76 Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 2:32am
post #5 of 24

I charge 2.00 per cookie- which is quite pricey for WY, but the nice thing about cookies is you can really break up the project into segments- like making dough one day, baking another, decorating another etc...and you can make cookies way more ahead of time than cakes....but yeah, I prefer cakes too, way less time consuming!

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CookieCrazy_grozzie11 Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 7:16am
post #6 of 24

YES, TIME CONUSUMING ! Whats something else I can make and sell from home for good return and less effort ? I always end up working hard for the money. icon_cry.gif

However, I enjoy making cookies and seeing peoples faces light up ! so for now thats what I'll have to stick with, unless some of you have some easier business ideas.

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Love2BakeCakes Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 7:37am
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I've never done cookies for a client ... and PLEASE may I never do any! But to be quite honest, I feel the same way about cupcakes. Though I have done them ~ and will continue, MAYBE ~ for me, they are very time consuming. I couldn't wait to finish!

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gingerbreadtogo Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 4:32pm
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It is hard to make money with cookies, but I have more fun decorating cookies than cakes- there is something meditative about it. I spent the 80's (pre-fondant) decorating cakes, there is always a stress of pleasing "brides". No one is ever disappointed with decorated cookies.icon_smile.gif

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MandyCakez Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 9:12pm
post #9 of 24

I want to get into cookies so bad!But it does look so time consuming.I already get overwhelmed with cakes!LOL

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Montrealconfections Posted 7 Nov 2010 , 9:30pm
post #10 of 24

I much prefer cookies since there is no risk of them toppling over in the back of my car as I deliver them lol. Once you have a solid portfolio & clientele you get the $$ deserved for the work.

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Dreme Posted 8 Nov 2010 , 4:16pm
post #11 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by Montrealconfections

I much prefer cookies since there is no risk of them toppling over in the back of my car as I deliver them lol. Once you have a solid portfolio & clientele you get the $$ deserved for the work.




Ditto. Cookies for me are less stressful.

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JRAE33 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 7:07am
post #12 of 24

I LOVE doing cookies and prefer them over cake but it's hard to find people willing to pay $2 to $2.50 a cookie. I get inquiries all the time, and then don't hear back. Just a downside of living in a small town I guess.

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kaylynndo Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 7:25am
post #13 of 24

i would love tp try cookies, but my icing always come out not smooth enough or shiny enough =(

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JRAE33 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 7:34am
post #14 of 24

kaylynndo wrote

Quote:
Quote:

i would love tp try cookies, but my icing always come out not smooth enough or shiny enough =(




what icing are you using?

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rb822 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 10:08am
post #15 of 24

i'm wondering if anyone who does cookies gets their royal icing clogged in a number 1 tip? it is super frustrating for me!

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JRAE33 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 11:55am
post #16 of 24

rb822 wrote

Quote:
Quote:

i'm wondering if anyone who does cookies gets their royal icing clogged in a number 1 tip? it is super frustrating for me!




Mine does get clogged if I leave it sit too long...like if I move onto another color and then try and come back to that one. The royal starts to dry quickly. I keep all my bowls of royal covered with a warm, wet towel so that the bowls of it don't dry on me cuz if it does the dry chunks will also clog the tips. If it does clog the tip, just insert a toothpick to chip away the dry icing, and you'll be right back in business.

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kaylynndo Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 4:23pm
post #17 of 24

[quote="JRAE33"]kaylynndo wrote

Quote:
Quote:

i would love tp try cookies, but my icing always come out not smooth enough or shiny enough =(




what icing are you using?[/quote

I forgot which one was it, it's been a while. i just remember it not coming out as shiny or smooth enough to spead. You got a good one that you dont mind sharing? =)]

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JRAE33 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 4:42pm
post #18 of 24

I use Antonia74's royal icing. It can be thinned to flood your cookies.

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/1983/antonia74-royal-icing

I also use rbc, and then put the royal on top of that. However, if you look at my pictures, the Wizard of Oz cookies are just royal. I have tried the wilton royal recipe as well, but I really do prefer this one. HTH.

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Anira72 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 5:05pm
post #19 of 24

I just spent 19 hours this weekend making 375 iced megaphone cookies. They were colored with 17 different team colors...not sure I want to do that again. It was my first time and a very stressfull two days because on top of that I added 300 cupcakes. I really do like cakes better.

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MissLisa Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 5:07pm
post #20 of 24

"rb822 wrote

Quote:
i'm wondering if anyone who does cookies gets their royal icing clogged in a number 1 tip? it is super frustrating for me!"

I usually sift and then seive my powdered sugar before mixing it in. A lot of times the clogging of the small tips isn't so much the drying as it is sugar granuals, hence the double sifting. When the icing is done I put it thru a knee-hi stocking (you can use pantyhose but it takes a looong time to work it all the way down the leg icon_biggrin.gif ) You'll be surprised how many sugar granuals the stockings catch.

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rb822 Posted 9 Nov 2010 , 5:39pm
post #21 of 24

misslisa- you got it! its not that it dries but i will see a single sugar granual stuck in there. thank you so much for the helpful tip!

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Sassy74 Posted 11 Nov 2010 , 3:46pm
post #22 of 24

I just did 3 doz NFSC's and iced with Antonia74's RI. They were AAAAA-MAZING! I've been a caker for years, but my daughter and I are fundraising for a mission trip, and I thought cookies would be a great idea. Everyone LOVES them. They're soft and buttery, the icing is tasty and firm but not crunchy. Ahhhh, pure sugar cookie love haha! Now that a few friends have tasted them, it looks like I'll be baking the fool out of them for a few weeks.

BUT....

Yes, they were very time consuming even though I did simple Fall designs. They took up my entire table, and there was nowhere I could store them without the constant fear that someone would touch/steal/knock them over. The 18 hr drying time is tough!

I think, though, that I wasted A LOT of time because of my inexperience. I'll be baking again this weekend and I've already worked out a time-line. Make a truck-load of dough one day and refrig. Roll/cut-out the next day...the WHOLE batch. I'm going to layer them on cookie sheets, cover, and freeze or refrig (depending on how quickly I think I can get back to them). The, I can spend the next day (or whenever) just baking. I felt like my biggest time waster was rolling/cutting/cooling between batches.

I must say that even though cakes are my first love, I'M A COOKIE CONVERT!!!

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awatterson Posted 11 Nov 2010 , 3:54pm
post #23 of 24

I LOVE doing cookies. It is much less stressful than cakes. If you mess one up, just grab another one and keep going. Also, it is less stressful for delivery as well.

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rb822 Posted 11 Nov 2010 , 4:03pm
post #24 of 24

thanks misslisa! im gonna try that!

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