For the Love of Cookies

Recipes that work well with stamps are listed in the end of this post

My main food blog is 14 years old, and in all these years I have never accepted products or cookbooks to review. The same is true for this baby blog of mine, I only recommend things if I love them. Cookie stamps can be tricky to use but one particular brand has been super consistent in quality, in fact I have to say that every single stamp I bought from Fun Food Tools has worked like a charm. The pattern is clear, they handle well, and you can find a multitude of designs. Check their collection at etsy.com with a click here. All stamps used in this post can be found in that store. And many more!

NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

This particular design demonstrates well the quality of their stamps. So full of detail, but they are super well defined upon baking. For designs with a lot of detail, it is best to avoid baking powder and make sure to freeze the cookies before baking. Normally I don’t publish recipes in this blog, but will open an exception. You can find one of my favorite recipes for stamped cookies in the end of this post, and links to three more that I use and love. I simply sprayed the cookies with Wilton gold luster after baking, but they look nice without any adornment.

THE DRAGONFLY

I am not wild about insects – particularly those that fly fast or jump unexpectedly, but I adore them in cookies! Go figure. These also look nice without any painting but I thought a little silver in the wings and khaki in the body was a cute way to bring the design to life.

GAME OF THRONE MOOD

For these cookies I adapted the chipotle chocolate dough I always use to incorporate a red velvet flavor and color. I need to tweak the recipe before sharing it. With this particular color of dough, I think gold is the mandatory finish… Because… bling!

MODERN TAKE ON FLOWERS AND HEARTS

My default recipe for chocolate cookies works very well with any pattern, and the details in gold or any other luster powder show well in the dark background.

To work with stamps, apart from choosing a recipe that has very little to no baking powder, I find it easier to roll the dough, sprinkle the surface LIGHTLY with flour (or cocoa + flour) then press the stamp ON the dough, jiggle it a bit and move it up. You can flour the stamp very lightly too, and do that for every cookie you press. Soon you will get a “feel” for how the dough is behaving and things will work smoothly. Just remember you can always do it again if one messes up, just gather that dough, roll again, adjust the flour on the surface. If the dough gets too warm, stick it in the fridge. It is more efficient to roll it then cool it in the fridge but you cannot let it go too cold because the impression won’t form well.

RECIPES FROM THE PAST

Black Tahini Shortbread Cookies (recipe here)

Lemon Sugar Cookies (recipe here)

Chocolate-Chipotle Cookie (recipe here)

NEW RECIPE

HAZELNUT COOKIE DOUGH FOR STAMPS

226 g butter
100 g brown sugar
50 g granulated sugar
30g egg
1 tsp hazelnut emulsion (or orange emulsion)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 T orange zest
380g all purpose flour
½ tsp salt

Soften butter on low mixer setting. Add sugars and mix on low until butter is incorporated. Add egg, extracts and zest, mix on low. Add flour and salt and mix until dough comes together. Form disc, wrap in plastic and place in fridge 10 minutes. 

Roll out, press stamps or cut. Refrigerate for 90 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes before baking at 325F for 20 minutes or so. 

to print the recipe, click here

ONE YEAR AGO: For the Love of Horses

TWO YEARS AGO: For the Love of the Sea