Hosting at Home: Graduation Dilemma

Why Make This Recipe

Decorating cookies for a graduation party is a fun and creative way to celebrate this important milestone. With graduation hats and other themed designs, these cookies not only taste great but also add a festive touch to your celebration. Plus, they are easy to make and perfect for serving guests of all ages.

How to Make Graduation Decorated Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Royal icing (for decoration)
• Food coloring (black, yellow, or any preferred colors for graduation)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
2. In another large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, and mix well until combined.
4. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until fully combined.
5. Divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
7. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookie shapes using graduation hat cookie cutters.
8. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
9. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
10. Use royal icing and food coloring to decorate the cookies. Create graduation hats and any other designs you like!

How to Serve Graduation Decorated Cookies

Serve these cookies on a decorative platter or a tiered cake stand for an appealing display. They can be arranged alongside other sweets or as a standalone treat. Don’t forget to add labels or signs to identify the special grad!

How to Store Graduation Decorated Cookies

Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They can last for up to a week. If you need to keep them longer, consider freezing them before decorating, and they can last up to three months in the freezer.

Tips to Make Graduation Decorated Cookies

• Make sure to chill the dough; this helps it hold its shape during baking.
• Use different shades of food coloring to create more vibrant designs.
• If you’re not comfortable with royal icing, you can use store-bought icing for simplicity.
• Experiment with different cookie shapes, like diplomas or stars, to add variety.

Variation

You can customize these cookies by changing the shapes or colors depending on the school colors or theme of the graduation party. You might also consider adding sprinkles or candies for extra decoration.

FAQs

1. Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the cookie dough up to two days in advance. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.

2. What type of icing should I use for decorating?
Royal icing is the best for decorating sugar cookies as it hardens and creates a solid surface. However, you can use any icing you prefer, like buttercream.

3. How can I make the cookies look more professional?
Using piping bags to decorate with icing can help you achieve more detailed designs. Practice on a piece of parchment paper before working on the cookies.

Graduation Decorated Cookies

Celebrate graduation with these fun and easy-to-make decorated cookies, perfect for any age. Create festive designs using royal icing and themed cookie shapes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Baking

Calories: 150

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cookie Dough Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Decoration Ingredients

• as needed Royal icing for decoration
• as needed Food coloring black, yellow, or any preferred colors for graduation

Method

 

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
2. In another large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, and mix well until combined.
4. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until fully combined.
5. Divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Baking

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookie shapes using graduation hat cookie cutters.
3. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
4. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

Decorating

1. Use royal icing and food coloring to decorate the cookies. Create graduation hats and any other designs you like!

Notes

Make sure to chill the dough; this helps it hold its shape during baking. Use different shades of food coloring to create more vibrant designs. If you're not comfortable with royal icing, you can use store-bought icing for simplicity. Experiment with different cookie shapes, like diplomas or stars, to add variety.