Make a Cookie Bouquet

With a little imagination, and a bit of creativity, you can bake and individualize your cookies by creating a beautiful bouquet. This will make a great gift idea for any occasion that is sure to please.

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Bouquet5.jpg|thumb|]] Create templates of flowers and leaves. By using a firm paper plate, draw and then cut out any form or shape of cookie you would like include in the bouquet.
 * 2) [[Image:Bouquet2.jpg|thumb|]] Use a fork to get rid of lumps in the softened butter until it has a smooth and creamy consistency. Add vegetable shortening and  the sugars (both granulated and brown) until it is light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time.  Mix well after each addition.
 * 3) [[Image:Bouquet4.jpg|thumb|]] Add flour, baking powder and salt to this mixture. Gently blend them together until combined. Divide the dough into two or three small portions, and add a different food coloring to each. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
 * 4) [[Image:Bouquet7.jpg|thumb|]]  While the oven is preheating to 375 degrees F, line the cookie sheets with parchment paper.   Roll out the dough on a floured kitchen counter to a thickness of about ½ inch.  Work with a small portion of dough at a time while keeping the others refrigerated.  Trace the flower and leaf patterns onto the rolled out dough with a dull knife.
 * 5) [[Image:Bouquet8.jpg|thumb|]]  Use your spatula to carefully transfer the cut-out dough to the prepared cookie sheets. Insert a popsicle stick of about 2-inches into the base of each cookie. Do not handle the cookies by their stick until they are completely cool.
 * 6) [[Image:Bouquet10.jpg|thumb|]] Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
 * 7)  Prepare the icing for decorating while the cookies are cooling. Add  vanilla extract to the sifter of confectioners sugar.  Stir in milk and orange juice, 1 tsp at a time, until the icing is of a drizzling consistency. For colored icing, divide icing  into separate bowls and add a drop or two of different food coloring to each.
 * 8)  Put the icing into a small zip-lock plastic bag, closing it tightly. Make a very very small hole in a lower corner.

Tips

 * Instead of just adding one color to the dough, experiment by combining food colorings, to individualize them.
 * If you prefer not to work with icing, you can simply sprinkle some colorful decorating sugars on cookies just before baking them.
 * This recipe will make about 12 - 20 cookies, depending on the size of your patterns.

Things You'll Need

 * [[Image:Bouquet1.jpg|thumb|Gather all the ingredients]]
 *  FOR THE COOKIES
 * Vegetable shortening	2/3 cup
 * Unsalted butter, softened	2 oz or ½ stick
 * Granulated sugar	½ cup
 * Light brown sugar, packed	½ cup
 * Eggs	2 large
 * Vanilla extract	2 tsp
 * Ground cinnamon	1 tsp
 * All purpose flour	3½ cups
 * Baking powder	2 tsp
 * Salt	1 tsp
 *  FOR THE ICING
 * Vanilla extract	¼ tsp
 * Confectioners’ sugar, sifted	1 cup
 * Some milk or orange juice

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Make a Chocolate Chip Cookie Birthday Cake
 * How to Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons
 * How to Make Wicked Cupcakes
 * How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
 * How to Make a New York Egg Cream
 * How to Make a Fortune Cookie

Sources and Citations

 * http://www.cookies-in-motion.com