A Decorated Flamingo Cookies Recipe and Tutorial with easy DIY instructions from Hello My Sweet.

I am by no means a professional baker. I feel I must confess this tidbit to you up-front, just in case anyone was assuming so. This should not however dissuade you from reading further, because what I am is a DIY kind of gal. Sure it is easier of course to order what you want from a bakery or hunt it down in a shop, purchase and go home. But that isn’t my style. I want to save money and learn something new at the same time. And that is why today, I am going to show you how easy it can be to bake and ice your own decorated flamingo cookies. Sugar cookies that may not look picture perfect, but pretty darn close anyway, and you didn’t have to pay $3 a piece for them. Not to mention the fact that it is Christmas, AND (bonus time) you are having Pink Flamingos to celebrate! Sounds fun right? Who doesn’t want to experience a little pink with their holiday?

Ok here goes nothing…

(See the step by step pictorial then read below it for the recipe and detailed instructions on how to.)

See? What did I tell you? Pretty little pink flamingos.

Here are a few things you should know before starting this recipe.

1. It is going to take you half the day at least, so make sure you have hours to dedicate.

2. Make your icing,do your tinting, and fill your bottles while your dough is chilling. This will be a messy process.

3. Keep your dough as cool as possible, this keeps your cookies shape while baking. Using powdered sugar instead of flour to “flour” your surface also helps.

4. Using a sil-pat baking mat will ensure your cookies turn out pretty darn nice (even coloring and not too much spreading), as long as you don’t bake them too long.

Now, onto the recipe!

Decorated Flamingo Cookies – Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

You will need:

• One recipe Sugar Cookies, baked.
• One recipe of Royal Icing, tinted in pink, yellow.
• Black sanding sugar & Black non-pareils for decoration.
• Flamingo Cookie Cutter
• Baking supplies including a cookie sheet, rolling pin, sil-pat or parchment paper & spatula.

SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy.
• With mixer running, add egg, milk, and vanilla; mix until well combined.
• With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Move dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.Cut with your cookie cutter.
• Transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

ROYAL ICING RECIPE

• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons meringue powder or 2 large egg whites
• food coloring
• water

Directions:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and meringue powder. Mix on low speed, add a 1/2 cup water. For flooding, gradually add more water a tablespoon at a time until you reach a consistency where the icing is ribbon-ing. Mix until icing holds a ribbon like trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle.
• Separate and divide the icing into bowls and tint each, one with pink and the other with yellow food coloring.

ICING THE DECORATED FLAMINGO COOKIES

• Fill squeeze bottles with the icing (see this video for tips on how to do this) and decorate cookies using the technique shown here. Only not bunnies
• Use the icing to decorate the cookie as shown in the photos, use sanding sugar to define the tip of the flamingo nose and a nonpareil for his eye.
• Allow to dry for at least 12 hours before handling.

We wish you great success with your decorated flamingo cookies! Remember, if you run into a snag, Martha always knows the answer. (Not to leave you hanging or anything but she is the master cookie maker!)

Visit us at Hello My Sweet for more Festive Flamingo Christmas decor, if you are really into pink and feathery for the holidays!

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