Marigold cookies

This year instead of buying flowers from the nursery, the littles and I thought it would be fun to grow them from seed.  It’s been really exciting for all of us to watch them grow.  All of the flowers are doing well, but none so much as the marigolds.  They aren’t quite ready to bloom, but while we are waiting I thought it might be fun to create a cookie version.

These are seriously the easiest cookies you will ever make.  This may be the shortest supply list I’ve ever written.
To make these cookies you will need:

• orange or yellow 20-second icing
• pink petal dust

I started with a plain flower cookie.  I used a cutter from this set, which is really really handy.  The key to this cookie is patience.  It’s all about the layering and drying.  Begin by adding the first layer of petals to the cookie.  I used a #2 tip.
Notice the empty spaces between them?  This is an important step in getting a realistic look.  Let the first layer dry for 30-45 minutes then come back and fill in the spaces.  See the dimension you get from adding the icing at different times?
Let the first layer dry then repeat.
Let eah layer of icing set between applications and work toward the center until the petals eventually meet.  For the sake of illustration I also wanted to show a side view of the cookie.  All this layering might give the impression of a mile-high blob of icing on top of the cookie, but this is not the case.
When the middle has dried, add a few dots using a small {about #1.5} tip. Give them a bit of drying time…are you noticing a pattern…and add a few more.
This is when you REALLY let them dry!  And by dry, I mean dry.  Like overnight or something.
The next day, use a paintbrush and apply a little petal dust to the middle of the marigolds.  This is optional, but I think it really adds a lot.
These are what I call laundry day cookies because you can do a lot of folding during drying time.
I’ve always liked marigolds, but after this summer they will always symbolize a very special memory for me.
   http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2012/04/pretty-marigold-cookies/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheSweetAdventuresOfSugarbelle+%28The+Sweet+Adventures+of+Sugarbelle%29