If you’ve known me for more than a hot second, you know that fall is, hands down, my favorite season. Colorful leaves. Crisp, cool air. Pumpkin EVERYTHING. Boots. Scarves. Apples. If I had my way, we’d live in world of perpetual autumn.
HOWEVER.
There is one week every year where I completely forget about my love affair with autumn and instead fall head over heels in love with spring. And that, my friends, in cherry blossom week.
I know that for the 99% of you not residing in the DMV, cherry blossoms are just another flower in a sea of spring blooms. But here in the DC area, cherry blossoms are a BIG. DEAL.
We start watching for official peak bloom predictions in January. We check in regularly with the National Parks Service to see how they’re progressing. We agonize over cooler than usual temps and wind storms in April because they might affect the blossoms. We schedule professional family photos and engagement shoots months in advance to ensure a backdrop of fluffy pink flowers.
It might seem a little crazy, but once you experience spring in DC, there’s no going back.
It is, in a word, magical.
Those sweet pink blossoms make even this avid autumn-lover swoon.
So in honor of cherry blossom season, I give you these watercolor cherry blossom cookies. Aren’t they just beautiful?
You can use this decorating technique to make any kind of flower or design on your cookies if cherry blossoms aren’t your thing. I found that flower shapes and solid lines work best, and the simpler your design, the better.
You can use any sugar cookie recipe, but I recommend using one that doesn’t have baking powder in it. Baking powder will cause your cookies to spread while baking, and we want these cookies to retain their original shapes so that they have clean lines. You can simply omit the baking powder from most recipes, and the cookies should be fine. Or try out my recipe below!
I chose to frost my cookies with royal icing, but you could just as easily use a circle cut-out of fondant as the base for your watercolors. I personally prefer royal icing over fondant, but it’s up to you!
I hope you’re enjoying spring, wherever you are! And if you get the chance, plan a visit to our nation’s capital during cherry blossom season. I promise you won’t regret it!
Watercolor Cookies
Active time: 40 minutes (plus decorating time)
Start to finish: 24 hours (including overnight drying time)
Makes about 30 cookies, depending on the size of your cutter
Ingredients
For the cookies
2 sticks (1 cup) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
For the royal icing
3 tablespoons meringue powder or powdered egg whites
4 cups (1-pound box) powdered sugar
4 -6 tablespoons water
For decorating
Assorted pastry brushes (or unused craft paint brushes)
Clear vanilla extract (or vodka)
Gel food coloring in your choice of colors
Directions
For the cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar, just until smooth and combined. Mix in the eggs until incorporated.
Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, and mix on medium low speed. The mixture will seem very dry and sandy at first, but after 3 to 5 minutes in the mixer it will gather itself into a ball and pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla bean paste.
Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper, to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into shapes, and bake for 9 to 12 minutes or just until the edges are firm and the bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool completely.
For the royal icing
In a medium bowl, beat together meringue powder or powdered egg whites, powdered sugar, and water for approximately 10 minutes or until peaks form. Adjust consistency with small amounts of water or sugar, as needed.
Spread the tops of cooled cookies with royal icing. Allow icing to dry completely (overnight is preferred).
To decorate
Add a small amount of clear vanilla extract to a small bowl. Dip a toothpick into your desired gel food color and mix color into the extract. (Do not use water! The alcohol content in the extract helps it evaporate faster so that your cookie and frosting will not get soggy. If you can’t find clear vanilla extract, you can use vodka).
Test your colors by dipping a paintbrush and painting on a white paper towel or test cookie.
Paint cookies as desired! Experiment by mixing and layering colors. Rinse brush between colors (or use a different brush for each color).
Allow to dry completely after being painted.
Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 1 week (if they last that long!)
