Nautical Copper Cookie Cutters | Sailboats, Whales & Lobsters are back!
A summer season in my store wouldn’t be complete without some copper cookie cutters. I start receiving email requests for these beginning in March every year : ) I know I say this every season, but these might be my all time favorite. Sailboats, Whales & Lobsters – they are just so charming and whimsical. They would be the perfect addition to any summer party or bake sale – I’ve already had many orders for rehearsal dinners, showers and birthday parties.
As you can see, they are really easy to decorate – just filling in with solid colors. You can make them as simple or as complicated as you’d like.
I’ve included my go-to sugar cookie and icing recipe below.
I love that the whale looks like it belongs on a Vineyard Vines shirt ; )
Of course they look great with Robin’s Egg Blue Enamelware, too.
The Sailboat and Lobster fit best packaged in the large cello bag. The whale fits best in the medium cello bag.
the best sugar cookies
2 sticks of butter
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp of vanilla bean paste
1 tsp of cream of tartar
1 tsp of baking soda
1 egg
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and powdered sugar. Add flour, vanilla, cream of tartar, soda, then mix for 20 seconds, then add egg. On slow, stir together ingredients just until combined.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and wrap it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Unwrap the dough and put it on a floured board. Roll out dough until 1/4 inch thick. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees just until the edges begin to turn brown – baking time will depend on size and thickness of the cookie.
I use parchment pan liners for baking and my 12″ pastry bags & gel icing colors to make the decorating look as neat as possible.
Royal Icing
3 egg whites
4 cups of powdered sugar
In the mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until almost frothy. Add in the powdered sugar and whisk on slow until smooth.
You may need to add more or less powdered sugar or water to achieve desired thickness. For sugar cookies, you want the icing to be thin enough that it will fall back on itself and smooth itself out, but not too thin so it will run off of the cookie.
Here is a link to my post about mixing great icing colors – My Icing Color Wheel Post. I will try to do a separate one for these exact colors, if you plan to make your own.
It really is just outlining, and filling in the lines.
The sailboat requires a little more planning, but is still very simple. You can just do one solid triangle on top, and a boat below.
The lobsters are very simple, too. The red color requires lots of the red gel coloring to get anything that doesn’t look pinkish.
Each cutter is darling for gift-giving packaged in a large cello bag, tied with ribbon. They make a great favor, too… especially if you don’t think you are up to actually making the cookies.