how do you get the fondant to stick to the cookie and it not fall off?

Corn syrup or frosting?

I have read on here on CC and another site that they either use light corn syrup or a clear piping gel. i haven't tried fondant on a cookie yet so I am just passing along info I have read. Hopefully someone else with more experience will post and let us both know what is the best method.

I just brush with a little bit of water.

corn syrup with a little bit of water

You can also put it on a warm cookie.

I use seived apricot preserves. Works like glue, adds a little extra flavor. Delicious!

I've used one part light corn syrup to two parts water. Sticks like magic every time.

The preserves sounds like a great idea! Mmmmmm.......preserves......

Put it on the cookie as soon as it comes out of the oven, then take it off the cookie sheet. The heat of the cookie will bond the fondant to the cookie.

I'm just going to throw my $2.50 in here -- there are a lot of decorators who put the fondant on the cookie while it's still warm out of the oven, which is fine if you just do one piece of fondant quickly with no detail work. The problem lies in if you want to do more detailed work (like for example the Elizabethan cookies featured in this month's ACD magazine.) There is no possible way you can get that much fondant detailed onto a cookie while it's warm out of the oven -- and that's just one cookie! Not to mention the fact that sometimes the fondant will wrinkle and peel if it's not "just so" on the cookie (yes, sugar can be tempermental!) So in my opinion it's always better to have a glue under the fondant for all those reasons. [Disclaimer: this is merely my opinion on a technique, not a slam against anyone. Lots of decorators use this technique, I just think there's a better way.] End disclaimer. Hope that helps some!

I'm with bobwonderbuns on this one and as you say, not knocking anyone who does it right out of the oven. I really enjoy decorating cookies with fondant and want to take my time and make each cookie as perfect as I can. I also use light corn syrup mixed with water like happy1mom does. Never had the fondant come off this way and I do load my cookies up with detail.

It depends on the "look" I want. Sometimes I put the fondant on right-out-of-the-oven. Sometimes I use tylose diluted in water. I don't like to work with syrupy-stuff (if that's a word) and the tylose/water is easiest for me.

yep, light corn syrup mixed with water

When you put it on right out of the oven, you can still add detail to it. At that point you would make any impressions in it that you wanted (for example indenting flower petals) before the fondant hardened. Then after all the cookies are done, add the other fondant to it just the way you would on a cake...with a little tylose and water or meringue powder and water as a glue. I don't think heat would attach several layers of fondant anyhow.

Also, you don't have to cut all the shapes right before you put them on. You can cut them ahead of time and lay them on waxed paper dusted with cornstarch. They'll dry a little bit but the heat still softens them enough to attach to the cookie, and they don't stretch when you pick them up.

But you should try both ways and pick the one that works best for you. I had tried the corn syrup first and it took ages to dry...actually my kids ate all the cookies before it ever dried ...but I live in a humid area and don't have a wonderful air conditioner, so humidity even in the house is an issue for me.