Here is my favorite sugar cookie recipe to use as the base for your fondant-covered cookies.
The desire to create homemade confections that look spectacular has people in the kitchen today trying to master it with royal icing. Let me show you a quicker way to use fondant as your decorating medium. You can make your own marshmallow fondant or purchase fondant from your local craft store.
Here is my favorite sugar cookie recipe to use as the base for your fondant-covered cookies.
Sugar Cookies Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 g)
1 cup granulated sugar (198 g)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (56 g)
1 large egg (50 g)
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (5 g)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (420 g)
1/2 cup cake flour (60 g)
1/4 teaspoon salt (2 g)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and mix well.
Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt.
Roll out cookie dough. If your cookie dough is extremely soft and cannot be rolled right away, your butter was too soft before mixing.
Before rolling out the dough, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Cut out the desired cookie shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely before decorating.
Makes 2 pounds 4.1 oz. cookie dough (1025 grams).
How to prepare cookies to cover with fondant
Once you’ve baked all the cookies, look at each one to make sure the tops are smooth. If there is a lump on your cookie, that lump will appear on the fudge-covered cookie. You can use a paring knife or plane to file the bump and make the top of the cookie smooth.
Prepare the fondant for use according to package directions. Before kneading the fondant and cutting out the fondant, I recommend tasting the fondant and adding flavor if necessary. There are several concentrated flavors on the market. A little goes a long way. Use only 1/2 teaspoon of concentrated flavor for each pound of fondant. Mix in the concentrated flavor with a little (50/50 mix) of confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch to maintain a fondant consistency.
Use a rolling pin and a non-stick mat to roll out the fondant. Use a handful of fondant to start. Start rolling out the fondant by pressing down on it with the rolling pin. Lift the fondant off the mat and rotate the direction of the fondant after each roll to make sure it doesn’t stick to the mat. If the fondant sticks to the mat, use a 50/50 mix. Roll the fondant to 1/8 inch, cut it out with a cookie cutter, and cover the candy.
Roll out your fondant as thin as you can so you can use the die-cutters for flowers or other decorations.
How to apply fondant to cookies
Use a food-safe brush to paint the piping gel on the innermost part of the cookie, avoiding the edges. Piping gel is the “glue” that secures the fondant to the cookies. It’s important to avoid the edges to get a professional-looking cookie.
Be sure to remove any cookie dough residue from the cookie cutter and use a clean cloth to clean the cookie cutter between the cookie dough and the fondant. This step is important.
The most important thing to remember when using fondant is that moisture turns fondant into a mess. You can control this by having a 50/50 mixture of confectioners sugar and cornstarch. Once kneaded into a soft fondant, this 50/50 mixture allows you to roll out the fondant and use it even in wet weather.
Simple tools and products that can be used to imprint fondant and leave a pattern
There are lots of simple tools and products that can be used to imprint your fondant and leave a design. Here are some of my suggestions for budding fondant decorators:
Sprinkles and sanding sugar
Sprinkles and sanding sugar can be applied to fondant-covered confections. After placing the fondant cutout on the cookie, paint the entire surface of the fondant with a thin layer of gel, then use a bowl to hold the cookie. Sprinkle the dusting or sanding sugar all over the surface of the fondant cookie, then shake to remove the excess.
The pattern rollers
The pattern rollers can be used on the fondant before you use the cutters to cut out the fondant. There are a variety of pattern rollers on the market and they create beautiful patterns no matter which area of the pattern you use.
Plunger cutters
Plunger cutters such as flowers, circles, squares, roses, or other designs can be used to create quick patterns on fondant cookies.
Stencils
Stencils can be used to stamp a design onto your fondant and cake paint can be used to paint the stencil and then remove it to reveal the stencil design.
Plastic imprints
With these steps, you can quickly learn how to decorate fondant cookies and impress your family and friends.
Debra J. She is ready to teach the world how to “dream in sugar” using simple techniques to create amazing designer-looking sugar cookies at home using fondant as a medium. It will show you which fondant to use to achieve these spectacular results in appearance and taste! Let her help you learn how to decorate your edible masterpieces to get the “WOW” you deserve!
