Taste

I think you might have a bad recipe () or may not be flavoring your cookie dough or icing enough. I really enjoy my recipes, but I do tend to flavor both the dough and icing pretty well.

Julia,

I love my cookies, i just like them better with out of the tub frosting then royal icing, but just my opinion!

Celese Marie posted:

Julia,

I love my cookies, i just like them better with out of the tub frosting then royal icing, but just my opinion!

Okay . . . I was just answering your question. I like mine with and without icing, provided the icing has additional flavoring in it. It's bland without.

Totally, now here is the real question do you like stiffer cookies or soft?

Celese Marie posted:

Totally, now here is the real question do you like stiffer cookies or soft?

I like crunchy cookies. I think really soft ones can be pasty, texturally.

What's the best way to keep your cookies crunchy?  Mine get soft once the icing is added and I leave them out to dry for 6 hours.

I have tried drying them in a small room with a dehumidifier, and that worked somewhat, but they still soften once they are topcoated.

Hi, @Nancy D (and anyone following this thread), I forked (moved) your question above into a new forum topic, since it isn't completely related to the original question and merits a topic of its own. We also try to limit forum questions to one topic per forum, so people can easily search and find content on the site. To follow the answers to your question, please click here: http://cookieconnection.juliau...keep-cookies-crunchy

And, everyone else, please post answers to Nancy's questions under the link I just posted, not here.

Thanks!

It took over a year for me to perfect my recipe and find a balance between the icing and the cookie. I wouldn't call it a true sugar cookie anymore, but it works well with the icing that I use. I have had professional bakers and chefs compliment me on the flavor, texture, balance, and beauty of my cookies! My customers are shocked as they expected, at most, an okay cookie. I don't think I could sell cookies if I didn't have faith in my product. Maybe start to change your recipe to find what you would like better. Try a Frankenfrosting, or make something new! 

Maddy D's Sweets posted:

It took over a year for me to perfect my recipe and find a balance between the icing and the cookie. I wouldn't call it a true sugar cookie anymore, but it works well with the icing that I use. I have had professional bakers and chefs compliment me on the flavor, texture, balance, and beauty of my cookies! My customers are shocked as they expected, at most, an okay cookie. I don't think I could sell cookies if I didn't have faith in my product. Maybe start to change your recipe to find what you would like better. Try a Frankenfrosting, or make something new! 

Hi Maddy D's! Thank you for your response to this thread. I am very interested in learning your recipes for both your "sugar cookies" and the icing if you would feel comfortable sharing them with us. It's perfectly fine if you would rather not (I totally understand). I ask because I love trying out new recipes, especially those who make the comments that you made about yours . I've tweaked some recipes but haven't found the perfect texture and taste quite yet. Given the preference between crunchy and soft, I'll go with the soft cookie every time. Lol. I love learning people's preferences and think it's wonderful that the cookie recipe world is filled with so much variety!!!

Thanks again for your comments!!

Hello @Celese Marie

There are a lot of variables in making Royal Icing, and you'll find many good recipes at Cookie Connection  

Are you using meringue powder or pasturized egg whites? Julia has a great recipie for RI using pasturized egg whites. Another very talented cookier uses a combination of MP and pasturized egg whites in one of her recipies.

There are brands of MP that taste better than others, you'll find that info in @Liesbet TOOL BOX TALK along with just about everything cookie. 

Additionally, there are Glaze/Glace recipies that have no egg product. @Cookie Crazy uses Glace exclusively. You may also want to look into something called Frankenfrosting, a combination of both Glace and MP icings.  Keep checking back with the COOKIE CONUNDRUMS forum, it's full of trouble shooting topics.

Finding the perfect combination of cookie and icing is a process of trial and error, and Maddy D's response to your question is on the mark. The goal in creating beautifully decorated cookies is to have them taste as good as they look.

Keep pluggin' away, you'll find exactly what works for you and it'll become you're signature. You'll develop a loyal clientele.          

Actually I never liked sugar cookies, so I kept tweaking recipes until I found one I loved (life was easier when I didn’t like them,lol). I simply add the zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons to my dough and juice the lemons and use the juice in place of some water in my icing. They are delicious �� and smell amazing. The lemon cuts done on the sweetness of the icing as well. During the fall, I replace the lemon zest and juice with orange and add a tablespoon of cardamom. These are quite popular as well. I hope you try this and love them 

Chris's Custom Cookies posted:

Actually I never liked sugar cookies, so I kept tweaking recipes until I found one I loved (life was easier when I didn’t like them,lol). I simply add the zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons to my dough and juice the lemons and use the juice in place of some water in my icing. They are delicious �� and smell amazing. The lemon cuts done on the sweetness of the icing as well. During the fall, I replace the lemon zest and juice with orange and add a tablespoon of cardamom. These are quite popular as well. I hope you try this and love them 

Sounds wonderful!  I'm going to try them both ways. 

@Chris's Custom Cookies, is it 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon of cardamom?  If 1 tablespoon, are you making a large batch of cookie dough?   Thanks!

Maddy D's Sweets posted:

It took over a year for me to perfect my recipe and find a balance between the icing and the cookie. I wouldn't call it a true sugar cookie anymore, but it works well with the icing that I use. I have had professional bakers and chefs compliment me on the flavor, texture, balance, and beauty of my cookies! My customers are shocked as they expected, at most, an okay cookie. I don't think I could sell cookies if I didn't have faith in my product. Maybe start to change your recipe to find what you would like better. Try a Frankenfrosting, or make something new! 

Please tell. What is a Frankenfrosting?

Maddy D's Sweets posted:

It took over a year for me to perfect my recipe and find a balance between the icing and the cookie. I wouldn't call it a true sugar cookie anymore, but it works well with the icing that I use. I have had professional bakers and chefs compliment me on the flavor, texture, balance, and beauty of my cookies! My customers are shocked as they expected, at most, an okay cookie. I don't think I could sell cookies if I didn't have faith in my product. Maybe start to change your recipe to find what you would like better. Try a Frankenfrosting, or make something new! 

Hi Maddy D! 

I dont sell my cookies so that helps and i think the big thing I didn't think about is i LOVE soft sugar cookies and seems like most on this thread seem to enjoy crunchier/harder versions. That is probably why I am not a huge fan of Royal icing! I am always trying to keep my cookies soft but still have them keep their shape, that is a win for me

pip posted:

Chris's Custom Cookies posted:

Actually I never liked sugar cookies, so I kept tweaking recipes until I found one I loved (life was easier when I didn’t like them,lol). I simply add the zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons to my dough and juice the lemons and use the juice in place of some water in my icing. They are delicious �� and smell amazing. The lemon cuts done on the sweetness of the icing as well. During the fall, I replace the lemon zest and juice with orange and add a tablespoon of cardamom. These are quite popular as well. I hope you try this and love them 

Sounds wonderful!  I'm going to try them both ways. 

@Chris's Custom Cookies, is it 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon of cardamom?  If 1 tablespoon, are you making a large batch of cookie dough?   Thanks!

I use a tablespoon but yes it is for a large batch. I use 1 tablespoon cardamom to 6 cups of flour  

Pip I will definitely try out your new recipe. Thanks for sharing

Celese Marie posted:

Maddy D's Sweets posted:

It took over a year for me to perfect my recipe and find a balance between the icing and the cookie. I wouldn't call it a true sugar cookie anymore, but it works well with the icing that I use. I have had professional bakers and chefs compliment me on the flavor, texture, balance, and beauty of my cookies! My customers are shocked as they expected, at most, an okay cookie. I don't think I could sell cookies if I didn't have faith in my product. Maybe start to change your recipe to find what you would like better. Try a Frankenfrosting, or make something new! 

Hi Maddy D! 

I dont sell my cookies so that helps and i think the big thing I didn't think about is i LOVE soft sugar cookies and seems like most on this thread seem to enjoy crunchier/harder versions. That is probably why I am not a huge fan of Royal icing! I am always trying to keep my cookies soft but still have them keep their shape, that is a win for me

There is a great post on Cookie Connection about adding either or both of corn syrup or glycerin to your icing to give it a softer texture. Check it out. I have been adding both for several years and it works for me. It can be very humid in Florida, so I don't add a lot. You have to work in small batches at first to see what will work for you. There's no down side since you are making cookies! Best of luck to you!

Cookies Fantastique by Carol posted:

Maddy D's Sweets posted:

It took over a year for me to perfect my recipe and find a balance between the icing and the cookie. I wouldn't call it a true sugar cookie anymore, but it works well with the icing that I use. I have had professional bakers and chefs compliment me on the flavor, texture, balance, and beauty of my cookies! My customers are shocked as they expected, at most, an okay cookie. I don't think I could sell cookies if I didn't have faith in my product. Maybe start to change your recipe to find what you would like better. Try a Frankenfrosting, or make something new! 

Hi Maddy D's! Thank you for your response to this thread. I am very interested in learning your recipes for both your "sugar cookies" and the icing if you would feel comfortable sharing them with us. It's perfectly fine if you would rather not (I totally understand). I ask because I love trying out new recipes, especially those who make the comments that you made about yours . I've tweaked some recipes but haven't found the perfect texture and taste quite yet. Given the preference between crunchy and soft, I'll go with the soft cookie every time. Lol. I love learning people's preferences and think it's wonderful that the cookie recipe world is filled with so much variety!!!

Thanks again for your comments!!

I started with one I can't even remember what it was. I did a lot of research about what makes a cookie do what, texture, fluff, etc. Then I trimmed back on some and increased in other ingredients. What works for my oven would not necessarily work for yours. Baking is a science and very temperamental! Just keep working, you'll get there!