The Partiologist: Buttercream Thanksgiving!

Buttercream Thanksgiving!

Find fun and unique ways to decorate your cookies using buttercream! 
Frosting recipe included.

Buttercream Thanksgiving Cookies!

For me, getting ready for the Holidays always include cookies.  Lots of cookies.  Lately, I have been on a royal icing kick and love the look.  However, as much as I try to persuade my cookie customers into letting me make their cookies with royal icing, most are persistent saying they want buttercream.  Because I aim to please, buttercream it is!

I just decided to change it up a bit.  Instead of piping all the cookies with buttercream, I decided to spread the buttercream on several of the cookies.  It gives it a little more rustic appearance don't you think?

I spread the buttercream on the base of the wreath, pumpkin, pumpkin pie and acorn with an off set spatula.

I have always wanted to make a pumpkin pie cookie slice.  In hopes you might want to make a pumpkin pie slice cookie too, I've added a tutorial.

I can't believe I hadn't made any until now.  They are so simple and sure to be a hit at any Thanksgiving table.

It's the perfect dessert for those who do not like pumpkin pie.  Such as me.

Of course, roll your favorite sugar cookie dough.

I didn't have a pie slice cookie cutter, so I used a tree and trimmed the top with a large circle cutter.  You could say..."I trimmed my tree"!

You could also trim it with a knife.  Or maybe you're lucky and have a pie shaped cookie cutter?

Now that I think about it, a candy corn cutter would work!

Once the cookies are baked and cooled, mix up a batch of crusting buttercream frosting.  (Recipe below)  To achieve the pumpkin color, I mixed a bit of orange and warm brown.

Spread the frosting on with an off set spatula and smooth.

Scrape the frosting off the edges of the cookie, using the spatula.

After the frosting has set for awhile and has formed a crust, lay a smooth (Viva Brand) paper towel over the top of the cookie.

Lightly press in a circular motion with a fondant smoother.

Mix the frosting for the pie crust using a bit of ivory and warm brown food color.

Pipe on the crust with the #18 ruffle decorating tip.

Not shown, I added a dollop of white frosting with a #7 decorating tip and sprinkled with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice.  You could also use cocoa powder.

Check out this SUGAR COOKIE TUTORIAL to see how I pipe the frosting on my cookies.

I'm sharing a couple of my favorite recipes below.

Cut Out Sugar Cookies & Crusting Buttercream Frosting

by The Partiologist


Ingredients
For the Cookies
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
  • 2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar
  • ¾ cup solid vegetable shortening
  • ¼ cup butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp. pure almond extract (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons milk (more or less until desired consistency)
Instructions
For the Cookies
In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined.
Divide dough in half, wrap each in plastic, chill overnight.
Roll and cut cookies into desired shapes.
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 325 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on edges.
For the Frosting
Cream butter, shortening, and extract until creamy and smooth.
Gradually add powdered sugar and milk.
Mix thoroughly on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Do not over mix or mix on high speed.


Because this is a crusting buttercream recipe, once the cookies are decorated, you can let them set overnight and carefully package.

In case you want to use a royal icing to decorate, this is one of my favorites.

Royal Icing

by The Partiologist
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Food Coloring (if desired)
Instructions
Mix dry ingredients with whisk attachment.
Add the water, small amounts at a time.
Add extract and food color if desired.
Mix at medium high speed until incorporated, approximately 5 - 7 minutes.





That's Fall Folks!



30 comments :

  1. buttercream, royal icing, metal shavings...shoot you can use anything and make a cookie look good! BRAVO to you Kim! :)

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha, hopefully metal shavings will never make it on to my cookies! LOL Thanks Lisa!

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  2. Hahaha, "That's Fall Folks!" You crack me up! These cookies are beautiful and your buttercream is amazing! I remember the first time we met at Cookie Camp and I watched you decorate a cookie with BC. I was so impressed and loved spending time with you. We need to do it again SOON! ;)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Lisa! I do remember meeting and having such a wonderful time at Cookie Camp - I would LOVE to see you again too. :)

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  3. They are all so unique and adorable, I really really love the pumpkins! Cindi

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  4. Back to your roots!! You are the queen of buttercream and these are adorable!

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha, queen of buttercream, thank you for that title! :)

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  5. I love these cookies and am much less intimidated by buttercream than royal! How would you package them? Since the buttercream stays somewhat soft, I'm guessing they couldn't be stacked.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Martha! Actually because this is a crusting buttercream, I let the cookies set overnight and then they are easily packaged in a cellophane bag. After packaging, I can stack them two deep in a box. Hope this helps!

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  6. Your cookie designs are always so amazing, especially being you use buttercream. Yum! I am in love with the scarecrow. He's darling.

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  7. Your buttercream cookies look so good..i can almost taste them! Every single one of these are beautiful, but that pie slice and those scarecrows are just way awesome! Thanks for the tutorial on those pumpkin pie cookies. :o)

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    Replies
    1. You are very welcome, thanks so much for stopping by! :)

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  8. Is this frosting recipe the same as the one you used for Mickey & Minnie cookies? The Mickey & Minnie cookies frosting looks so smooth - how did you do that? I would love to get that smooth of a frosting look. Thanks in advance for your help.

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    Replies
    1. I used royal icing as the base and buttercream for the accents. The trick to getting it so smooth is just getting the royal icing the right consistency, not too thick or too thin that it will run off the sides. I've watched several you tube videos to help me figure it out.

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  9. Please clarify the amount of shortening in the buttercream frosting. 1-1/2 cups? In the cookies it says 1 1/2 which is clearly one and 1/2 cups. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. So sorry about that, it is 1/2 cup, I just fixed it! :)

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  10. Is it really 1-2 lbs of sugar or do you mean tbs of sugar ?

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  11. These are fabulous! Want to make them for Christmas what is the serving size for the sugar cookies?

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    Replies
    1. Usually two dozen, but it really depends on the size cookies you are cutting.

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  12. How far in advance can you make the cookies before frosting, etc?

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    Replies
    1. It would be fine leaving them on the counter two to three days. If you seal and freeze, they will keep weeks!

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  13. I can never get my royal icing to work right

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    Replies
    1. I know how frustrating RI can be, it is all in the consistency. It truly took me over a year to get it where I can recognize if it's not too thin or too thick. Royal icing takes a lot of practice. Keep trying and I know you'll get it!

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  14. What cookie cutter did you use for the scarecrow?

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    Replies
    1. It was a cutter I made, but maybe you could use a cupcake cookie cutter and turn it upside down?

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