Fall Leaves -Cookies Celebrating Fall
Fall leaves, in the form of cookies, are one of my favorite things I look forward to making each season. I’m reminded of a brilliant Maple tree in my yard growing up that would display the most brilliant yellow leaves ever. These cookies are a great reminder of that memory. Celebrating the red, orange, and yellow brilliance of fall colors.
These cookies bring back memories of a few years back. My kitchen showcased 100’s of these cookies for orders. Specifically, I think I made over 300 that year. Woo!
Leaves, Leaves, and More Leaves
After many attempts to find a signature fall looking cookie, I think finally I have found two that will become classics every year to celebrate those amazing fall leaves.
First, is the triple colored layered cookie where three colors are piped next to one another then streaked for a brilliant and wow factor effect. These cookies might look difficult, however, they come together super fast.
Second, is a leave design I developed this year where different colors of icing are drizzled into one color to produce a “splash” type design that I have come to really love. This design is much easier to execute and makes one terrific effect.
Ironically, the idea of this second design came to me when making the first design. Interestingly, I ran out of the two colors I needed for the triple colored cookies, but had just enough leftover to create this new look.
Sugar Cookie Foundation
I start with my favorite sugar cookie recipe and my favorite leaf cutter. Any rolled sugar cookie dough will work here. Cookies get cut, baked, and cooled. I like to do this in advance and place stacked cookies into a container and freeze till I’m ready to decorate.
Supplies Needed
- Baked Cookies
- Royal Icing (orange, yellow, red)
- Wilton plain Tip 3
- Wooden Skewer
Triple Color Fall Leaves
The tri-fecta leaves are first up. Love the look of these cookies. Starting with a batch of royal icing that I will separate into three bowls and color them orange, yellow, and read. Also, you can add in brown as a color as well and gives it a great fall look too.
The icing is medium consistency, much like corn syrup or honey.
Icings get placed each in a piping bag with a plain tip 3 and the tip are kept tucked under a wet washcloth to prevent icing from drying out.
Let the Decorating Begin
- First, pipe a line of one color tracing the outside of the cookie, this will be the predominant color. You might need to pipe a second go round to achieve this
- Second, pipe the next color right next to the first color
- Third, use the last color and pipe into the center
- Take a wooden skewer and pull from the outside to inside 4-5 times dragging through all colors
- Take the skewer then drag 4 times from the inside to outside
Love this effect so much, you can rotate different color schemes and try different layering of those colors for different effects.
Splash Of Fall Leaves Brilliance
My second design is a splash artistic effect which brings the fall leaves to a new realm. Its super easy and fun to decorate and each cookies turns out a little different.
The Artist Within You
- Starting, I use orange as my base color with a medium consistency icing. It gets placed into a bowl.
- Taking a spoon, I drizzle in a few shots of the other two colors keeping it light and simple.
- Cookies then get dipped into this and then place on parchment to fully dry. You can really see the drizzle effect on this and it makes for such a sensational look.
Something to ponder, I realized that if the icing is too thin, it will fall off the cookie. Contrast, if too thick it will just clump on the cookie. Practicing with the consistency achieves that perfect finish.
Placing both of these cookies on a platter makes for such a fabulous fall themed cookie presentation. I love to give these as gifts and bring them in for co-workers.
Being a cookie lover, not only do I love making these every year but the best part is eating them!
Here are some other fall favorites:
