C is for Cookie...and Crazy

Ever since I moved into my new house with its huge kitchen, I've been trying to figure out something to host that would take advantage of the space. That thought kernel and my obsession with The Great British Bakeoff, including the holiday specials, led me to the decision to host a cookie decorating day.

Cue Cookie Monster with your earworm for the day.

Because I'm me, I went way overboard. Nothing succeeds like excess is one of my favorite sayings and it was truly excessive. I bought lots of supplies.

Not shown:  extra piping bags, gel colors, food pens, more toppings that a friend brought, plastic bottles, new cookie cutters, cooling racks, and a partridge in a pear tree.

I did limit the group to just six because I wasn't sure how much space we would need for our flowing creativity. That was my only reasonable action in this whole experience.

I offered to bake the cookies ahead of time and spent one Sunday night with the oven using an old family recipe for sugar cookies. It only made 8 dozen which felt completely inadequate for 6 people. They also didn't turn out exactly as I wanted them to (new gas oven took some adjusting to) so I found another sugar cookie recipe online and made another several dozen. In true excess, I also decided to make some gingerbread ones. Two more nights of baking and I had way too many cookies.

C is for Crazy

In the process of baking, I also made a huge mess. Repeatedly.

My excuse for over a week for not sweeping and mopping.
Why bother?

The night before, I made two huge bowls of buttercream icing. That I ruined by putting in the fridge so it got thin and granular. It was usable for spreading but not for piping. I also made too much royal icing.

The team assembled at 10 AM and it was a bit chaotic to start but we were soon making inspired designs. Two people had to bail out early and my anticipated 2 PM stop time was a pipe dream. (See what I did there?) By 2, we were just mass frosting and sprinkling and getting a little sugar buzz happy.

Good thing I asked everyone to bring some sort of snack as we nibbled as we worked. If we'd stopped for a meal, I don't know that we would have restarted. So. Tiring.

We eventually cried Uncle and I put about five dozen cookies in the freezer for decorating closer to Christmas.

I think the melting snowmen turned out particularly well.

Mass frosting results.
Note the Green Bay colors.

Me? I'm certainly shaped like that but it's been a long time since I wore a two piece.

My boyfriend complete with porn stache.

 

I have to give credit to my wonderful cleanup crew. We had almost everything washed or in the dishwasher and all supplies put away before they left.

Yes, I did sweep and mop after it all. No more excuses and there was too much detritus to ignore. Plus, a couple of sticky spots that I was worried that cats would adhere to.

Here's what we took away for next year (yes, this is going to be a repeat event).

• Fewer cookies.
• Less frosting.
• Make the frosting morning of and no chilling.
• Have all of the frosting colored and/or loaded into piping bags and bottles before starting.
• Get a few more thin piping tips.
• Have more royal icing bottles.
• Keep it close to six people. We would have really been cramped with more.
• Keep the cat locked up.

Right after they all left, the inspector came out.
(Yes, that's a bunch of empty Champagne bottles - you didn't think we did this completely sober, did you?)

All of us have been eating way too many cookies. I finally took all but a few over to Shorty's on Thanksgiving so he and Steven can finish them.

And, if anyone needs some decorating supplies, the excessive Kathy stash is available to borrow from.