One Sweet Interview (& Custom Cookie Tips!)

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Hello, dear friends and cookie enthusiasts!

Today I'm thrilled to take you on a scrumptious journey into the delectable world of custom cookie artistry. Sometimes I get questions about the custom cookie process and lifestyle so the time has come to answer them. In this *exclusive* interview, we'll dive deep into the oven-hot secrets, inspirations, and creative processes of one small-town cookie connoisseur.

Baking has always held a special place in my heart, and I've marveled at the way a simple cookie can transform into a canvas of edible art. It's not just about satisfying a sweet tooth; it's about crafting miniature masterpieces that delight both the eyes and taste buds. Whether you're a fellow baker, a cookie enthusiast, or just someone with a penchant for all things sweet, you're in for a treat, because today I am answering some of your cookie questions. Let's get started!

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The Journey:

How did you get into custom cookie decorating?

I remember the moment exactly. I was lounging on my bed, in my lazy pants, scrolling instagram (my feed rotates through random/quality reality TV memes, health content I rarely apply to my own life, and brightly colored bakery content). I saw my first cookie decorating video and was mesmerized by the colors, the hypnotic turntables and fun music. As an artist with baking and piping experience I said to myself, "I can do that!". The rest is history!

Can you share a memorable moment from your early baking days?

Me in pink, in the middle back row with what appears to be a boomerang

My mother has worked as a baking instructor at King Arthur Baking Company for 30 years, so while there are many, I would have to say one of my most memorable moments came when I was about 6 or 7 during a kid's baking class taught by the famous chef Mary Ann Esposito. The class curriculum was bread teddy bears ('breaddy bears' to be precise...) and while mine looked like it had crawled out of a radioactive pond, Mary Ann shaped and baked one special for me to keep. I didn't eat it. It was adorable and so special and it lasted in our house until it was unsightly and rock hard and we had to let it go.

Of course, another moment took place when I was 9 and we'd moved to Colorado for a year. I'd brought a special cookbook with me and loved this recipe for 'Crazy Cake' (recipe here) a very simple chocolate cake calling for 1 cup of sugar. I made the classic mistake of adding salt instead of sugar and that day I missed out on crazy cake, but I learned to always just double check what I was putting into my baked goods.

Style:

Do you have a favorite type of cookie to decorate?

I sure do! Sugar cookies are my favorite types of cookies to decorate. And not the crispy, flimsy ones. I love a nice thick slightly underbaked sugar cookie. And actually--have you ever tried to decorate any other kind of cookie? Is that a thing? Now I'm interested.

Creative Process:

Where do you draw inspiration for your cookie designs?

When working with customers, I draw a lot of inspiration from pictures they provide, my experience and understanding of the events they are supplying for, and my own personal intuition and creative experience. The internet is a vast resource of creativity and

you can learn so much from so many talented people. I love to take the techniques I've learned online and mix them together. Sometimes customers want the exact same cookies in their inspiration photos, and sometimes they are ok with a little deviation. Either way, I always try to put my own spin on them.

Can you walk us through the steps of creating one of your custom cookies?

Any good sugar cookie starts with a great sugar cookie recipe. So I spend a lot of time

mixing and rolling out my dough (here is a great dough recipe from Sugar Spun Run, btw) first. Leveling the dough is very important here when rolling, just to make sure your cookies bake evenly and don't end up with an uneven surface (a no-no for icing). Also, using enough flour when rolling out the dough as well as rolling it out on top of parchment paper will ensure your dough doesn't stick to the table and can easily transfer to the pan.

After it's all rolled, I'm on to the next step: choosing my cutters. Depending on the order and theme, I generally choose about 2-4 shapes. Sometimes I have to cut the shapes in cardboard and cut around them with a knife for custom shapes. Most times, I have cutter shapes which save a whole lot of time.

Hot Tip: The trick when cutting cookies is to start as close as you can to the edge to maximize area. Then the next cut needs to be as close to the first shape as possible. While it seem's tempting--like the first stroke of paint on a fresh canvas--cutting your first cookie from the middle of the dough will make it harder for you to maximize your total cookie cut count and you'll end up with a big hunk of scraps and more problem cookies in the end.

Speaking of scraps, after you transfer your cookies to a baking sheet (I usually do 9-12 evenly spaced 1 in apart), throw you scraps into the bowl with any leftover dough and mix it in again to "freshen" it up and avoid bubbly, tough cookies.

While they bake, it's time to prepare the icing (woo!). Now, icing is a tough subject, and while I could spend a day covering the hows and whys today, that's for another post. But here is an awesome royal icing recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction.

After it's mixed and ready to go, it's time to choose your colors for you cookies. Is it halloween? The holidays? Valentines day? Of course, depending on your event, your colors will be different, and when the icing dries they might be a little darker than your wet icing,

so keep that in mind. Decide what imagery you want to convey. What is the mood of your cookie set? What techniques will you use? Any fonts? What will they say? Put the icing into bags, go forth, and make art!

Favorite Tools and Ingredients:

What are some must-have tools or supplies in your cookie decorating arsenal?

Check out my post with my favorites here!

Are there any special ingredients you love using in your recipes?

I keep it real classic. Extracts scare me a little bit. I love a real good vanilla, and a secret to

citrusy-vanilla cookies is called Fiori di Sicilia, if you're into that kind of thing.

Challenges and Learning Moments:

What's the most challenging cookie project you've undertaken?

When I first started making cookies for customers, even small orders were challenging because I hadn't perfected my workflow in the slightest (and I apologize to any early customers whose cookies were less than perfect because of this).

Later in my journey, one of the most challenging orders was for a wedding. I think it was about 150 circular shaped cookies with hand-piped golden 'T's and floral accent. My hand cramped. There was gold dust everywhere. I couldn't look at the letter T for a week without crying (kidding).

Can you share a baking or decorating mishap that turned into a valuable lesson?

Cookie plop

Two months ago, I tried my hand at making a rainbow ganache-filled cookie pie. I was also hungry at the time and when it came out of the oven I didn't wait long enough for the cookie to cool before I flipped it upside-down, expecting it to stay intact on top of the cookie rack. What ensued was a moment I could only liken to a rainbow volcanic eruption molten chocolate and underbaked cookie dough that fell through the grates of the rack into the cookie sheet and spread like a sea of sadness. I still ate what I could.

Any time something went wrong or unexpected with cookies was an opportunity for me to learn why. I found online troubleshooting articles to be incredibly helpful in figuring out why my frosting had cracked, or color had bled, or it hadn't dried...let me tell you, royal icing is definitely finicky. Sometimes I will add a thick icing to a pastry bag and in my hulk squeeze it will explode all over myself and my cookies below. It's these moments when you live and learn how to perfect your techniques and consistencies. Every mishap is a learning opportunity!

Customer Stories:

Do you have any heartwarming or funny stories involving customer requests or reactions to your cookies?

A worthwhile project

I have two (besides the warm and genuine messages of gratefulness for completed orders from customers),

the first being a very impromptu 48-hour order for 24 penguins piping made for a woman who wished to send them to a friend who's husband was dying of brain cancer around the holidays. Her reaction and gratitude was incredibly touching, not to mention the thought she put towards caring for her friends at an incredibly sad time.

On a lighter note, I think one of the most memorable orders was some surprise bachelorette party cookies made for a dear friend of mine. She messaged me as soon as the big reveal happened on their getaway weekend and couldn't stop laughing. They were real good. And NSFW!

Holiday and Occasions:

How do you approach cookie decorating for different holidays and special occasions?

Thankful for pies

It's all about the themes and shapes and colors of the season. And you don't have to be standard about it. It doesn't have to be the classic cutter shapes you always see at Christmas. It can be a basic shape with holiday colors. It could be corn-themed cookies for Thanksgiving, or a turkey shaped cookie. The possibilities are truly endless. Yes, the basic cutter shapes make it easier to streamline the process, but I challenge myself to get creative with it--how can I make this unique but also applicable to this holiday or occasion? There's also a vast library of inspiration online!

A Christmas Medley

Any favorite holiday cookie designs or traditions?

So I really love making pie cookies. Blueberry and cherry pies for July 4th, and pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. There is just something about a mini pie that isn't that just sends me off to la-la land. On Christmas, I love to bust out my airbrush and stencils and make buffalo plaid cookies. And I can't say no to an intricately decorated snowflake!

Of course, my favorite holidays tradition is COOKIE DECORATING!

Tips for Aspiring Custom Cookiers:

What advice do you have for someone looking to start their custom cookie decorating journey?

Red-handed

Stay patient and hungry with your learning. Persistence is key, and as with anything, your first attempt might not be perfect. But they will only get better as you learn! Also, avoid making cookies on a 100 degree day. And make sure to cover your icing with a damp towel while youre working. Also, prepare to be sticky with multicolored hands, but smell really good.

Are there any resources or tutorials you recommend for beginners?

Seriously, any YouTube videos. Instagram reels. Countless cookie blogs (SweetAmbs is great), watch food network cookie shows. I love to shop on Cookie Countess. These are great places to start, but you will develop your own preferences and styles. Just learning the basics will get you far in the beginning.

Personal Favorites:

What's your all-time favorite cookie flavor?

Chocolate chip!

If you could create a cookie design inspired by anything, what would it be?

Food, outer space, or nature.

Future Plans:

Are there any exciting projects or goals you have for your custom cookie business in the future?

Once I'm back in the states, its all cookies all the time!

Rapid-fire Questions:

Royal icing or fondant for decorating?

Oh, royal icing always and forever. Not fond of fondant.

Favorite cookie shape to decorate?

Circular.

Cookie decorating soundtrack - what music do you listen to while working?

Deep house music or electronic. My ADHD functions better when it's in a trance.

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And there you have it! My first interview! I really hope you were able to have any questions answered and learn a few custom cookie tips from this blog. And I'd love to know your answers to any of these rapid fire questions or baking mishaps, so leave your stories in the comments! Have more questions? Leave them there too.

Thanks so much for choosing this read today.

Bake it til you make it,

Meggie