Sprinkle Sugar Cookies (2024)

FAQs

Do you sprinkle sugar cookies before baking? ›

Use this method to decorate cookies before baking. Put decorative sugar in a small bowl (one bowl per color). Shape dough into balls per recipe directions. Roll in the sugar, place on cookie sheet, and bake as directed.

Sprinkles should be put in the cookie dough prior to baking. If you would like sprinkles on top of your sugar cookies too, then press them on with your finger tips before baking. This will ensure the sprinkles stick to the sugar cookies.

After your cookies have been cut and placed on the cookie sheet, sprinkle the sugar over the top of the cookie in any design or pattern you like. Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe.

The easiest thing to do is to brush the tops of the cookies with a little bit of water or milk, using just enough to dampen the cookie dough and no more. This will help the sprinkles stick and won't change the finished appearance of the cookie when you're done baking.

One of my simplest sugar cookie tricks is to brush the surface of the cookie with a little egg wash. Using an egg wash made from whole egg will lightly brown the surface during baking—it becomes a little more shortbread-like in texture as a result.

DO THE SPRINKLES MELT IN THE OVEN? The sprinkles will melt slightly in the oven. When the cookies cool, the sprinkles firm back up, but will be adhered to the cookie.

Dip cookie dough balls into a bowl of sprinkles. If the sprinkles aren't sticking, you can use wet fingers (dipped in a small bowl of water) and dampen the cookie dough slightly. Just enough for the sprinkles to stick. Note: don't use too much water or you will have a sticky mess.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. I like to decorate cookies directly on baking sheets so I can stick the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help set the icing. So place the cooled cookies back on baking sheets.

If you wanted to use it on baked cookies, either sprinkle it on freshly frosted cookies or brush cooled cookies with an egg white-wash before applying so the sugar will stay put. Uses for sanding sugar go way beyond the cookie—from cupcakes to holiday co*cktails, it won't be hard to use up the jar!

The sprinkles may melt but only slightly since they are mixed into the dough and not on top of the dough. How do you get sprinkles to stick to the cookies? Drizzle the cooled cookies with melted chocolate. The chocolate will act as a glue and help the sprinkles stick to the cookies.

How do you make egg wash for sprinkles? ›

To start, mix egg plus 1 tablespoon of liquid (water, milk, or cream) in a small bowl with a fork until combined. You'll apply it with a pastry brush. Egg white + water. This is the egg wash I use most often in my kitchen.

Without egg wash, the pastries look dull and dry, and not appetizing. Egg wash is also a great glue for making two pieces of pastry stick together (like the edges of a double pie crust), or adhering seeds and grains to the top of bread and rolls. So next time, don't skip the egg wash. Your pastries will thank you!

The standard breading procedure, and it's simple to do! The initial dip in flour helps the egg wash stick better to the food's surface. A little bit of oil in the egg wash helps thin the liquid coating, and the extra fat browns the breadcrumbs better underneath.

Since they're so crunchy, sugar pearls work best used sparingly to decorate cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and more. They can also be mixed with other types of sprinkles to create a unique sprinkle mix.

TO REVIEW. So if you want to bake sprinkles into a funfetti batter or dough, you'll want to use jimmies or confetti sprinkles for the best results. These sprinkles will hold their shape and colour the best when baked.

Use fabric glue to fix the glitter in place.

You can sprinkle glitter onto fabric glue to stick it to the garment, and then coat the glitter in turn with a water-and-fabric-glue mixture to give the glitter a protective outer layer.

How far in advance can you bake the cookies? I bake the cookies up to a week ahead of time and store them in an airtight container until ready for use. Can your cookies be frozen? Yes, they freeze well after baking.

Cookie-Decorating Tools

Note: Make sure your cookies are completely cooled so the frosting or icing will stick to the cookie and set up properly, otherwise a warm cookie will melt the decoration right off. It's often easier to bake cookies on one day and decorate the next.

My favorite way to decorate sugar cookies—especially for holidays and special occasions—is by using royal icing. The secret to getting precise lines, dots, and other details with royal icing is using a squeeze bottle.

Sanding Sugar Substitute

If you can't find sanding sugar, sparkling sugar, pearl sugar or any other decorative sugar will work just as well. Other decorative sprinkles, such as nonpareils, sequins, jimmies and edible glitter are also good alternatives.

What kind of sugar is used for sanding sugar? ›

First, you'll need a cup of granulated white sugar (demerara or decorating sugar will also work) and food coloring (either liquid food coloring or gel food coloring), or water if you're making a standard white option. Here is a step-by-step guide to making sanding sugar: 1. Preheat the oven and bag the sugar.

You can use decorator's sugar and pearl sugar as a substitute for sanding sugar when decorating things like muffins, cookies, cakes, and scones. You can also use other coarse sugars in its place as well if you only want the texture, and don't care about the color.

If you want to preserve the taste of your cookie and you do not want to add any sort of frosting, icing, glaze, or syrup to the cookie, then you can still add your sprinkles without a worry in the world.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. I like to decorate cookies directly on baking sheets so I can stick the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help set the icing. So place the cooled cookies back on baking sheets.

For most standard cookie designs, you'll start with a base outline and flood, then let it dry for 2-3 hours before piping additional decorations on top.

On top of that, exposure to air will also make your sugar cookies go stale more quickly. To prevent or delay that, you need to first cool your sugar cookies completely. Next, you can wrap your sugar cookies individually in plastic wrap, put them in a ziploc bag, or place them in an airtight container.

COOKIE DECORATING WITHOUT ICING

If you are in a hurry and don't have time to decorate cookies with icing, you can still make them stand out from the crowd using other decorating tools.

Although I've tested them for longer and the batches I've tried seem fine for up to 4 weeks, my general rule of thumb is up to 2 weeks. I know they're fine to eat at 4 weeks, but I feel better about giving the cookies away when the recipients don't need to eat them right away.

Use a pastry brush dipped in light corn syrup and lightly brush the tops of the cookies with the corn syrup. Top with sprinkles and brush or shake off excess sprinkles that did not stick to the syrup.

This subtle hydration makes the dough less wet, concentrating the flavors. The result is cookies with a nice even bake and lovely golden brown color. And if you use brown butter in your cookie recipes, chilling the dough overnight allows the flavors to develop so you get a richer, more decadent cookie.

What type of frosting is best for cookie decorating? ›

Royal icing is probably the most popular icing for decorating cookies. Made using egg whites or meringue powder, royal icing dries hard, making it a fabulous option for cookies you plan to package or mail. It's most often used for outlining and “flooding”, or filling in, cookie designs.

You can expect your sugar cookies to last for up to two weeks in an airtight container either stored in the pantry or on the kitchen counter.

The secret is to scoop your frosting into a ziplock bag, clip the corner, and then pipe the frosting onto each cookie. Since you don't have to pick up each cookie, scoop up frosting, and spread it out with a knife, the piping process is a MUCH quicker way to get lots of cookies frosted.