Happy Halloween .. Royal Icing Cookies (Black Cat, Witch Hat and Ghost)

Happy Halloween everyone! I was hoping to get this post up over the weekend, but this darn head cold made me behind. I made the Zombie's for my oldest son, and for my youngest who is still cool with mom's treats I made Halloween themed cookies. I had these 3 pack from last year's Michael's clearance bin and used them this year. it came with a cat, hat and ghost. Since I had a half batch of royal icing I made another batch of fun royal icing cookies.

 

 

After the cookies had set up I put them in little bags for Caden to give to his friends in class.

 

What you Need:

Sugar Cookies cut into ghost, cats and hats
Halloween Cookie Cutters

Royal Icing in white, red and black (recipe below)

AmeriColor Gel Food Coloring Red and Black (to dye Icing - This is my fav brand)

Pipping Bag

I used the dipping method with my royal icing. I started to do the dipping method about 6 months ago to speed up my decorating time. You can pipe each cookie which is a little cleaner but I find the dipping method to be the best. You get your royal icing to the outline consistency and put into a pie dish (I find this is not too deep). Once you dip the top of the cookie you tap off the extra icing and then you let dry! Once dry you can add your details.

For the ghost I dipped in royal icing not colored. When the white was dry I then took a pipping bag with black royal icing and made the eyes and mouth. I saw on the package they outlined the ghost in black also but I liked this look.

For the witches hat I dipped in royal icing colored black. When the black was dry I took a pipping bag with red to make a ribbion and outline the brim of the hat. You can get fun and add dots etc or just leave black.

For the Cats i dipped in royal icing colored black.  When the black was dry I took a pipping bag with red to make the eyes (you can add a small black dot in the middle also but I liked the look with out). I took a ziplock with white royal icing to add a nose. I then took the black pipping bag to pipe on whiskers.

I like to do my cookies the night before to give plenty of time for the icing to harden. 

Click HERE to see who I link with.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.	Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Julie Usher, she has a GREAT YouTube video on how to make, color and make consistency adjustments. 

Royal Icing what you need:

2 lbs Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent) 

Flavor to Taste

Gel Icing Color

Mix powder sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer, just to make sure it is incorporated in. Slowly add egg whites, then whip start of slow then go to very high speed. She says around 2 minutes, my friend had an older mixer so it took almost 10 minutes. You want stiff peaks that hold on and won't fall off the spoon. Add in your flavor, I would suggest you use a clear flavoring.  This would be the glue texture great for ginger bread houses etc.

Take 1 cup of royal icing in a smaller bowl then add your coloring, lightly mix so you don't get air into the the icing. I'm like her and like the gel coloring. 

For Top Coating - Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp Water (This is if you don't want to outline and flood)

For Outlining - Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Water

For Flooding  - Add 2 to 3 tsp Water

WATCH her video on How to Top-Coat, Outline, and Flood Cookies. YES it is around 7 minutes BUT if you have never done this technique it's a MUST she explains it perfectly.

Mummy & Ghost Oreo Cookies

And for Caden's class I whipped up some easy Ghost and Mummies.  I loved how they came out!

What You Need:
Oreo Cookies (Orange Cream if you want)
Candy Melts - White (Almond Bark)
Black candy (or Black Modeling Chocolate)

Melt your candy melts in the microwave, mine takes about 1 1/2 minutes to melt nicely (be careful don't burn the chocolate ... done this many times).  Stir with a fork to make smooth. Dip your oreo in the chocolate make sure to cover top and bottom.  I take a fork to take them out and bang off any extra chocolate.  I then took a fork with some white melts to go back and forth to make the bandge look. I took some black modeling chocolate to make eyes and mouths (I did that for only the ghost).  Put in the fridge to hard up and put into treat bags to pass out (I picked mine up at the Dollar Tree).

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Twinkie Frankenstein

I kept seeing these Twinkie Frankenstein's from Life of a Whisk on a few blog hops and had to give them a try!  These I made for Cole's class since he's in 5th I wanted to do something fun but no too kidish.  These turned out awesome!

Ingredients:

12 oz Green Melting Chips
4 oz Black Melting Chips
1 Red Melting Chip
6 Twinkies
12 Candy Eye Decorations 

1. Place Twinkies in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
2. Prepare a baking sheet or cutting board by covering with parchment or wax paper.
3. Melt green candy chips by microwaving 30 seconds then stirring and repeating until melted.
4. Dip each Twinkie in chocolate and roll to completely coat.
5. Transfer to prepared paper.
6. using a toothpick, spear a mini marshmallow and dip in green chocolate to cover completely.
7. Position marshmallow in middle of Twinkie to act as nose. Use another toothpick to loose marshmallow from first toothpick and to smooth out chocolate.
8. Using chocolate as "glue", set 2 eyes just above the nose.
9. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set.
10. Lift each Twinkie to separate from paper.
11. Using a knife carefully trim excess chocolate that ran off.
12. Melt black candy chips by microwaving 30 seconds then stirring and repeating until melted.
13. Dip top of each Twinkie in black chocolate to make hair.
14. Return to prepared paper.
15. Using toothpick method, dip 8 mini marshmallows in black chocolate to coat completely and place on prepared paper to use as neck bolts.
16. Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes to set.
17. Trim any excess chocolate that ran off.
18. Using chocolate as glue attach neck bolts to sides of Twinkies.
19. Take the one red chip and heat for 30-60 seconds until melted.
20. Using a toothpick, draw a mouth on each and draw the forehead scar.
21. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set.

ALEXIS NOTES: I had to make 20+ of these so I just increased the # of everything used.  I used a little black to make a uni-brow.  For the red mouth I used red gel.  I'm putting these into Halloween treat bags for him to transport for school.  I also used a dark green instead of the lime green she used to make them a little more grown up looking for the 5th graders.

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Boo to you from our crew - Gooey Caramel Apple Monster Corn

Have I mentioned how much I love Blog Hops?  No really I do, OK I don't love that people don't stop by and say hi like they should or leave a comment when they do stop by (OK off my soap box). What I do love about them is finding amazing new things to make!  This Halloween I had a plan but then I came across some new things and of course had to try them out.  The only bad thing is this year being at public school vs private I have more kids to make for!

I found this really cool idea for Gooey Caramel Apple Monster Corn on I Dig Pinterest.  I had most of the items already on hand. I made a quick trip to the Dollar Tree for the Caramel Apple Taffy.  I should have picked up the gum drops like she had in her recipe but let's just say shopping at the Dollar Tree with the boys needs to be a get in and get out or I end up with a cart full of crap (I mean real crap some of those toys are just that!)

What you Need:

4 c. unpopped corn kernels or about 12 c. popped corn

2 1/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. karo syrup

1/2 c. butter

dash of salt

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 t. vanilla

1 pkg. (7.5 oz.) Caramel Apple Taffy (Dollar Tree - I used 2 bags)

Peanuts (I skipped)

sprinkles (I used on half of the batch)

gum drops (I forgot to pick up so skipped it)

Wilton Candy Eyes (I bought mine at Walmart, seen at Target & Micheals)

MM (I threw in a few orange and green)

Wilton Bags (Found on Clearance at Micheals 99cents for 15 bags)

Caramel Part:

Pop the corn.  Stir brown sugar, karo syrup, butter and salt in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Bring to a boil.  

Add caption

Popcorn / Caramel Part:

Pour over popcorn and carefully incorporate so all popcorn is covered. Unwrap taffy and melt in a buttered saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Immediately drizzle over popcorn mixture.  Store in an air-tight container.

Hope you enjoy and give these a try!

Are you ready for Halloween Tonight?

I think I can say I'm ready!!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Boo to you from our crew - Bleeding Brain Cake Balls

Now onto the treats!  I found these really cool Bleeding Brains featured on Kims Kandy Kreations.  I then went to Hungry Happenings to get the directions.  Thank you to you both for the amazing idea and how easy it was to put these together!!

Ingredients: 
1 baked chocolate cake 
1/4 - 1/2 cup vanilla frosting 
30-38 ounces melted white confectionery coating/candy melts 
cherry jelly, jam, preserves, or dessert sauce (3/4 teaspoon per brain) 
red food coloring (if you want to intensify the color or the cherry sauce)

Make Cake Balls:

Cut about 1/2" all around the edge of the cake and just enjoy a snack. Break up the center of the cake into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (my preferred method**) or a food processor. Add 1/4 cup white frosting. Mix to combine.  If the mixture holds together well and you can easily form balls, then stop, if it crumbles, add up to another 1/4 cup frosting. Set aside.

Usually I make cake from scratch 

but every time I do cake balls it turns out better using the box mix.

Make the Brains:
Spoon some melted white candy coating into one of the brain mold cavities. Use a spoon or a pastry brush to paint the coating in a thin layer all around the inside of the mold. Be sure you can't see any of the mold through the white. Paint all four brain cavities in your mold.  Wipe off any candy coating around the edges of the mold. Freeze for 5 minutes.

Remove the molds from the freezer. If you want your cherry filling to be brighter red, add a few drops of red food coloring. Spoon 3/4 teaspoon of the cherry filling into each brain cavity. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the cake ball mixture and press it into a brain cavity leaving enough room to add a layer of candy coating on top.

Spoon some more white candy coating on top of each cake ball and smooth it out. Be sure to wipe off any excess coating around the edge of the mold. Freeze for 5 minutes. Remove the cake ball brains from freezer, turn mold upside down, press and pull on the mold until your brains pop out.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used strawberry jam but I think sundae topping would be better not as thick!  I ordered my brain mold off Amazon.  I ended up using 3 bags of white Wilton's Candy Melts and one cake mix made around 24 brains.  I then found these super cute Dracula holders at the Dollar Tree.

Hope you enjoy and give these a try!

Are you ready for Halloween?

I still have treats to make for Caden's Class tonight!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Pinterest Halloween

So My Spooky Halloween Must Do's folder on Pinterest was getting rather full and I decided it was time to try some of these items!  So hold on this will be a LONG post of many fun ideas!

Idea #1 - Pumpkin Lollipop Holder

I started with the Pumpkin Lollipop Holder! NOW here is the importance of READING the post before you just look at a picture and say I can do this on my own.  So the article tells you do use a fake pumpkin!! THAT would have been wise to read, but I didn't so I had a real one that I had Rick do.  Which with my hairdryer and his air gun we dried out the real pumpkin and added the lollipops with out much mess, so all in all it can be done!

For this project, it's best to use a synthetic foam pumpkin. (The moisture found in real pumpkin flesh will turn the lollipops' paper sticks soggy.)

1. Cover every other rib with low-tack masking tape, and then, using a flexible tape measure, make dots every 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches down the side of the pumpkin. Punch through dots with an awl, or use a power drill with a 9/64-inch bit; remove tape.  (I of course just had Rick eyeball it, no tape ... lol)

2. Fill holes with orange and chocolate-flavored pops, alternating flavors from one rib to the next and keeping sticks a uniform length to maintain the spherical shape. Top with a black paper bat bearing a message in opaque ink; place pumpkin on a table outside your front door and in a sheltered spot.

Idea #2 - Cookie Cutter Pumpkin

Next was to try the cookie cuter pumpkin method on Fresh Home Ideas.  I learned that metal cutters are the best.  One of my plastic cutters was sacrificed to try it out (let's just say it had a quick death).

• Step 1: Tap Cookie Cutter
• Step 2: Remove Cookie Cutter
• Step 3: Carve Pumpkin
• Step 4: Remove Shapes
• Step 5: Insert Candle (I used LED candle)

Idea #3 - Vampire Teeth Cookies

We then move on to Vampire Teeth Cookies I found on Just a Pinch.  These were simple to make, they called for soft chocolate chip cookies.  Instead of buying store bought I found a recipe for Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Cookies.  I started with the cookies and then once they were cooled I decorated them.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2.	Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3.	In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4.	Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Then for decorating:

INGREDIENTS

FOR EACH VAMPIRE TEETH COOKIE YOU WILL NEED - 1 soft chewy homemade chocolate chip cookie cut in half - red tube icing

- 6 mini marshmallows - 2 almond slivers

DIRECTIONS

1.   Take your cooled cookie and cut in half, then take a little off the center so it is more like a jaw. This will be the top and bottom of your mouth

2.   Line mouth with frosting and add the front two teeth then the almond slivers then the last two teeth and top with the other half of cookie that also has icing on so that it gives the feeling of gums.

 Step by Step:

Idea #4 0 Edible Eyeballs

Then of course you have to have the edible eyeballs.  These were the simplest item to make and just perfect for Cole's 3rd/4th/5th grade classroom.  

Eyeballs
round or square pretzels
white chocolate disks
chocolate chips
red jimmies

On a baking sheet, place pretzels in a single layer. Put one white chocolate disk in the center of each pretzel. Place in a 350 degree oven for approx 3-4 minutes or until chocolate is shiny but not melted or falling through the pretzel.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with red jimmies (I used red gel frosting). Invert one chocolate chip in the center of each disk. 

 Step by Step

Idea #5 Easy Pumpkin Pretzels

Then I made some Easy Pumpkin Pretzels that I found on Butter with a slice of Bread for Caden's Class.  This was another simple one to make that even the kids could do with out my help.

• 1 bag mini pretzels {you won't use the whole bag, only about 1/4}
• 1 bag M&M's candy, needing only the green ones {Alexis Note: I used jelly beans}
• orange food coloring & White Chocolate (I ended up using Orange Melts)

First step is to melt the chocolate. I took the melts in a microwave safe bowl and belted them for  minute. Coat pretzels in the orange chocolate. Once you've dunked your pretzel, adding a nice coating, lay it out on a piece of wax paper. While it's still wet, add a green jelly bean (or a M&M) and set it in the crook of the pretzel, on it's side.If you see a few bare spots on your pretzels, while they're still wet, dab some more chocolate on them using your finger (but using melts is thicker so I didn't have that problem).

Idea #6 - Spider Cake Pops

And we end with some spider cake pops for Caden's class also.  It was the end of the night so they weren't my cleanest creation but I think Caden's Kindergarten class won't mind.  I started with making a Vanilla Cake Pop recipe found on The baby Cake Shop.  I used my cake pop pans instead of the baby cake pop baker. 

Make Cake Pops

 Make the Spiders

Ingredients:

12 Cake Pops Made

1 Bag Black Candy Melts

1 Bag Wilton Candy Eyes

1 Box Wilton Candy Licorice (cut into legs)

Melt your candy melts in a microwave safe bowl (usually 1 minute). Dip your cake ball in the the melted candy melts.  While still wet add the candy eyes and add on the legs.  You can sprinkle with black sprinkles (but I couldn't find these anywhere).  Let dry and serve!

WOW sorry that was a lot but I wanted to make sure to get this all posted before Halloween was over.  Hope you all have a safe Halloween!