Graduation Cookies-UVA Style
Given the Pandemic of our time, many graduations this year have been cancelled or going virtual. It would be an understatement to say this will not be a typical graduation season. My heart goes out to all the Classes of 2020. One of these sweet people is near and dear to me; my beautiful daughter. I wanted to do something special to help her celebrate this amazing milestone of graduating college and decided to make some fun graduation cookies, UVA style.
We first learned graduation would be cancelled back in March as the Pandemic hit hard and fast. Dissappointment flooded our home and the excitement of what was just a few months ahead, soon took a nose dive.
Virtual graduation will be the temporary celebration until a later date is determined in which to return to grounds for the proper congratulations.
Milestones in life have suddenly turned into quiet and small moments once celebrated by many.
UVA Tradition
UVA has such a neat tradition of “walking the lawn” as part of graduation that every student from day one looks forward to after their 4 year journey.
The lawn at UVA is a beautiful green fairway, surrounded with walkways lined with columns where students and professors live and interact, just as Jefferson wanted it.
The highlight of this beautiful scenery is the iconic Rotunda. Perched upon marble steps, it truly is beautiful in pictures and even more magnificent up close.
Unique Celebration
Graduation day arrived and we decided to take a trip to Charlottesville to celebrate this special day with our daughter. Virtually, that is. Soon, she will be taking on the digital marketing and IT world in the upcoming months.
Our afternoon entailed a BBQ picnic in tow, some blankets, and a laptop to enjoy the virtual ceremony right there on the the beautiful UVA lawn.
Check out the video “Looking back 2019-2020, A Year That Will Never Be Forgotten.“
And….we couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was a gorgeous day to celebrate. Even though the grounds and community were quiet, many of the graduates stopped by to celebrate with each other at the Rotunda for a few moments and do their own fun version of “walking the lawn.”
More importantly and lots of fun, we too made our own version of the “walk!” Taking on the fairway dressed in cap and gown, we filmed every step she made.
So much fun that was and it will be such a great memory for us all, and one we truly loved celebrating with her.
Not to mention, the stories she will one day share with her own family how her senior year was unlike no other.
Cookies-Graduation Style
The cookies were made from my traditional sugar cookie recipe. Simple and delicious and super easy to work with. I like to add just a touch of orange flavoring to the dough to bring out the buttery taste.
It was just few short years ago I made another version of UVA cookies. Check them out here. UVA won the Basketball NCAA National Championship! Woo Hoo!
Making the Graduating Cookies
Cookies are rolled, cut, baked, and cooled.
Icing
Since I didn’t have alot of time, I put together a super simply icing with powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a touch of corn syrup to give it that gloss and shine.
The icing dries super fast and allows me to get decorating done quickly. For the accent orange, I make up a simple royal icing and color it orange and pipe on the decorative aspects to the cookie.
Of course, UVA has to take centerstage with its signature orange and blue colors.
I box up the cookies for the trip down, along with a bouquet of balloons and celebrate with my daughter and her 14 roommates!!! Yes, 14!
These are the days memories were made for. Although it wasn’t a traditional graduation, we made it special in our own way and in the process, made some great memories to treasure forever while enjoying some awesome cookies.
Oh yeah, did I mention I’m one proud mom! 🙂
Congratulations to all the Class of 2020 everywhere!
Celebrating you and all you have accomplished! Wishing you all the best!!!
