Starfish Cookies
These easy Starfish Cookies are made by painting iced shortbread or sugar cookies. Use a simple egg free icing for no piping! Works with royal icing as well.
Ingredients
- 1 batch shortbread or sugar cookie dough (see note)
For Simple Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, or almond extract
To Paint Cookies:
- food coloring gels
- grain alcohol, such as Everclear
- luster dust (optional)
- edible food coloring marker (optional)
Instructions
Bake the Cookies:
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut using a 1-inch star cookie cutter. Shape the points of each star to look like a starfish. Transfer cut shapes to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake cookies according to recipe instructions. Cool completely.
Prepare the Icing and Ice the Cookies:
- In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste or extract of choice. If necessary, add more milk or powdered sugar to achieve a dippable consistency. Store icing in an airtight container until ready to ice the cookies.
- Place a wire rack over a parchment or waxed paper lined cookie sheet or work surface. Gently stir the icing to make sure it's fully mixed. Dip the top surface of each cookie into the icing and place the cookies on the wire rack to allow excess icing to drip off. Alternatively, use a silicone pastry brush to apply the icing to the surface of each cookie.
- Use a toothpick to pop any bubbles on the surface of the icing immediately after dipping. Allow icing to fully set up. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to paint.
Paint the Cookies:
- Add a drop of food coloring gel to the well of a food-dedicated paint palette or a small dish. Add a few drops of grain alcohol to the gel and mix with a food grade paintbrush until the gel is completely dissolved.
- Using long brush strokes, apply the edible paint across the surface of an iced cookie. Repeat with all colors desired. Allow cookies to dry completely.
- Once dried, icing can be brushed with dry luster dust or luster dust dissolved in a few drops of grain alcohol. If desired, draw faces on cookies using an edible food coloring marker.
- Cookies can be stored at room temperature in a single layer for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer.
Notes
Cookie recipes: Egg free shortbread cookies; roll out sugar cookies
Icing recipes: Egg free simple icing; royal icing
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