Jungle Themed Cookies

Soft Sugar Cookies

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Step 1

Mix together 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese at medium speed with a whisk attachment or hand mixer until smooth.

Step 2

Next, mix in 1 1/2 cups Domino® Granulated Sugar at a medium-high speed for a couple minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color. Add in 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a low speed until incorporated.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.

Step 4

Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture on a low speed, until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Step 5

At this point, the dough will still be pretty sticky. Divide the dough in half, flattening it out into a rectangle, then wrap each piece of dough in a piece of plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for about 2 hours or the freezer for 30 minutes. You can also chill the dough overnight.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C for about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.

Step 7

Generously dust the surface you plan to roll the cookies out on with additional flour. Take one rectangle of dough out of the fridge or freezer, leaving the other to continue to chill.

Step 8

Sprinkle some more flour on top of your dough and on your rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough to be 1/3 inch thick and cut out as many shapes as possible with flour-dusted cookie cutters. I used cookie cutters that are 2 ½ to 3 inches wide.

Step 9

Use a kitchen brush to gently brush off any excess flour and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Chill the cutout cookies one more time in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes to help them keep their shape better.

Step 10

Bake for 12-15 minutes on the middle rack of your oven (time varies based on the size and thickness of the cookies). Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown. Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Step 11

While the first batch bakes and cools, knead together the cookie dough scraps, and rewrap them in plastic wrap. Pop them back in the fridge to chill.

Step 12

Pull out your 2nd chilled piece of dough, and repeat steps 8-10. Then repeat with the chilled dough scraps.

Royal Icing

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Step 1

While the cookies cool, make the royal icing. Whisk together 7 1/2 cups of Domino® Powdered Sugar and 1/3 cup meringue powder in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 2

Add 1/2 cup water and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Mix on a low speed with a paddle attachment at first to incorporate the liquid, then increase to a medium speed and mix until stiff peaks form. This usually takes me about 4 minutes with a hand mixer or 3 minutes with a stand mixer. Scrape around the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is properly mixed together. 

Step 3

Next, add in additional water 1 Tbsp at a time until a thick flooding consistency is reached. I used about 5 Tbsp of water, but it can vary from batch to batch.

Step 4

To test the consistency, lift the spatula and let the icing run off back into the bowl. It should flow in thick, slightly uneven ribbons. Once the icing has fallen into the bowl, you should be able to gently wiggle the bowl, and the ribbon should settle back into the frosting and vanish. If it melts away on its own, thicken the icing by adding 2 Tbsp of powdered sugar. If it doesn't settle back in after gently shaking the bowl, thin it by adding an additional Tablespoon of water. Then repeat the consistency test until the icing is the right thickness.

Step 5

Use gel food coloring to color 1/6 of the icing beige, 1/6 tan, 1/6 light green, and 1/6 a deeper green. Keep in mind that the colors will deepen over time, so you can initially color them slightly lighter than you want them to end up being. You want to have a bit more white icing than the other colors because it will be used to color two entire cookies. Place each color into its own piping bag. Seal the top of each bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.

Decorating these Jungle-Themed Cookies

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Step 1

When you're ready to decorate the cookies, cut the tips of the piping bags to create a small opening (a few millimeters). 

Step 2

Then outline and flood the cookies as shown in the pictures above. Let the initial layer of icing firm up before adding on the next layer of icing or the fine line details. 

Step 3

Let the cookies dry for a few hours or until they are firm to the touch, then enjoy! These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer.