Sep 27
2010

Gail, from One Tough Cookie, Inc., shares her favorite tools for cookie decorators!

in Tips & Tricks

I am so excited for today’s post.  Gail, from One Tough Cookie, Inc., is sharing a list of her favorite tools that every cookie maker/decorator should have.  This is SUCH a treat!

One Tough Cookie

Back in April I was commissioned to make two Swedish princess tortes for a bridal shower.  The day that I made the tortes everything was going smoothly, and then the final step of covering the tortes in a sheet of rolled out marzipan started to approach and I started to get nervous.  I had never covered anything in fondant or marzipan.  I had used those materials, but only to mold or cut out decorations.  I tweeted about my nervousness, and Gail (@THEToughCookie) tweeted me back with words of advice and encouragement.  Gail and I ended up talking on the phone right before I covered the cakes and she verbally walked me through the process.  Her help made the process easy, and my cakes looked beautiful as a result—phew! Crisis averted!!  Thank goodness for Gail!  Now that I’ve been tweeting with her a bit longer, I’ve come to learn that Gail is kind, warm-hearted, and always willing to help a friend.  Not only that, but she is a cooking making and decorating master!  These are just a few of her masterpieces (AMAZING, right?):

One Tough Cookie's amazing cookie creations

She’s lucky that I don’t live closer, because I’m dying to move in with her and force her to teach me all she knows.  But instead, I’m settling for having her share a few of her tips and tricks here on LFM.  After you read her wonderful post, make sure you hop on over to her blog, One Tough Cookie, and give her some love!

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These Are a Few of My Favorite Tools

Hi everyone, I’m THE Tough Cookie, Gail, from One Tough Cookie, Inc. As a virtual tenderfoot in the world of blogging, I was flabbergasted when the lovely and talented Rachael tweeted me an invitation to write a guest post for “La Fuji Mama”.  Me?  ME?  So, after I picked myself up from the floor and finished 8 laps of ‘happy dancing’  around my apartment, I said, “Why, yes…I’d be honored to write a post for you.”

I thought and I pondered, I pondered and I thought.  AHA!  The newbie blogger shares her innermost favorite kitchen tools to make life easier for newbie cookie decorators!  With the holidays coming up (that’s a warning, not a threat), I’m hoping this little missive will come in handy.  So, let’s begin:

1.  Parchment paper.  It’s your best friend for rolling dough, lining baking sheets, and foolproof ways to impress your friends with your cookie decorating prowess.

2.  Rolling Pin Bands.  Like training wheels for your rolling pin, these babies will never let your cookies be too thick or too thin. They’ll always be just right.

Rolling Pin Bands

3.  Flexible Spatula.  This fine tool scoops effortlessly scoops baked cookies from the cookie sheet.  I always use this to get the ones that are done first off the sheet and then reposition the cookies that need a little more time in the oven.

4.  Disposable pastry bags  I would be NOTHING without these for piping stiff outlines, and applying finishing details.  I buy these 12 inch bags in lots of 200, but you can easily get smaller amounts.  Great for using with a coupler and switching out various decorating tips.

Disposable Decorating Bags

5.  Finally, one of the most important tools in my arsenal, the Squeezit Mold Painter bottles.  I buy these things practically by the truckload.  They come in a handy 2oz. size, and are 2 in a pack. I use them for flooding cookies and what I particularly like is that the tips are changeable.  I often insert one of my metal decorating tips in size 3 or 4 when I’m flooding a larger cookie and want to get the job done quickly.
See?

SqueezeIt Mold Painter Bottles

They’re made by CK products and are available at craft stores, cake supply stores, and of course, all over the internet.

With these tools and a little practice, I know you’ll find your own inner “Tough Cookie”.  And, if you have questions, feel free to tweet @THEToughCookie!  I’m always hanging out there when I’m not decorating cookies.

Happy decorating!

{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }

Heather (Heather's Dish) September 27, 2010 at 11:11 am

Lord knows i could use all the help i can get with cookie and cake decorating! thanks for the great tips! i love the scissor cookies…i’m thinking i need to buy some of those and send them to my baby sister since we call each other “scissor” :)

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Jeanette September 27, 2010 at 12:06 pm

Wow, thats soooo great!!!!!

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Paula - bell'alimento September 27, 2010 at 1:16 pm

Gail’s creations are magical and way beyond my capabilities but I think with a few of these tricks/tips MAYBE my next decorating attempt could come out as passable!

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Paula September 27, 2010 at 1:16 pm

Great tool tips Gail. I adore these dog and cat cookies. Your work is always awesome but the eyes on these little fellows blow me away. Thanks for guest posting here today and thanks to Fuji Mama for showcasing you on her blog.

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Ken - hungry rabbit September 27, 2010 at 2:29 pm

A lesson from the cookie guru is priceless. Now if only her artistic skill comes with that list, I’ll be all set for the holidays.

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Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite September 27, 2010 at 3:16 pm

Fantastic post Gail and thanks Rachael for inviting her over! I am very interested in getting my decorating skills up to scratch and am looking at courses to take. of course, it might be easier for me to go visit Gail in NYC!

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Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction September 27, 2010 at 3:18 pm

Great post!! I love Gail and she has also helped me immensely as I’ve been learning to decorate cookies. Thanks, Rachael, for inviting Gail to stop by :)

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Erika - In Erika's Kitchen September 27, 2010 at 5:32 pm

So glad to know about this stuff – of course I own parchment paper, but have I ever thought of using it to roll out cookie dough? Nope. And I want some of those bottles IMMEDIATELY. Thanks Gail and Rachael!

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Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon September 27, 2010 at 6:02 pm

Those are some tricked out cookies. And my kitchen would be lost without parchment paper. I buy it in bulk. I have to. I am addicted.

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Krista September 27, 2010 at 6:08 pm

Oh My God!!! Rolling pin bands!!!! I MUST have these!! I always roll out my dough too thin of too thick (or often both in the same batch). Where can I get these magical contraptions?? I’m going hunting for them tomorrow.

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SMITH BITES September 27, 2010 at 6:14 pm

Gail, YOU are soooooo totally cool – thank you so much for sharing your insider tips; and Rachael, YOU are brilliant for asking Gail to guest post – just awesomeness all the way around!

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MAC September 27, 2010 at 6:53 pm

Wow! Those cookies are pieces of ART! Fantastic!!
Gail, thank you for sharing some of your tricks, especially just before the holiday cookie madness sets in. And those rolling bands…a must have!
Rachael, thank you for sharing “One Tough Cookie” with us all. Getting to know Gail is a real treat.

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Maria September 27, 2010 at 7:43 pm

I love my cookies and I need some new tools now! So fun!

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marla {family fresh cooking} September 27, 2010 at 8:02 pm

Gail is amazing. These cookies are gorgeous! I think we all need a hands on demonstration—-thoughts??

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Fuji Mama (Rachael) September 27, 2010 at 8:04 pm

@marla {family fresh cooking}, You’ve read my mind! Today we formed a committee and have started the process of bringing Gail out and planning a series of classes. :) At this point we’re thinking of doing some in Riverside and some somewhere in Orange County!

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Quyen - Kitchen Runway September 27, 2010 at 11:26 pm

Such great tips….definitely keep us posted if Gail comes out….I’m 100% interested =) Her cookies are beautiful! Thank you for sharing Rachael & Gail!

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Gail September 28, 2010 at 3:29 am

Thank you thank you thank you for all your wonderful comments! I’m so delighted that Rachael gave me the opportunity to share a few secrets over here, and even more delighted to read all the great comments from cookie enthusiasts! xoxo to you all!

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Joy September 28, 2010 at 8:48 am

Those are amazing. I couldn’t get that detailed.

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Casey September 28, 2010 at 11:46 am

After finishing this post, I just had to comment on how cool it is that food bloggers that I know and admire are reaching out to one another–even beyond Twitter–picking up the phone and connecting! I love Twitter and the supportive nature of the food blogging world, and I think it is even more fun when we actually have the chance to connect person-to-person, be it by phone or in person. (Loved the post, and Gail’s tips, too! :D)

Best,
Casey

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Elyse September 28, 2010 at 12:14 pm

YUM your cookies look amazing and thank you for all the tips and tricks.

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She's Cookin' September 28, 2010 at 3:16 pm

Wow, thank you Rachael and Gail for these great tips. I do own parchment paper and an old-fashioned rolling pin but never thought to put the two together! I’ll pass this on to my daughter who’s the baker in our house.

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Niki September 28, 2010 at 4:28 pm

What a great list of helpful tools – I always have the best of intentions when it comes to decorating sugar cookies, and then i fail miserably. Maybe this year’s the year for me.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such a lovely comment – it means a lot that people appreciate the effort!

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bridget {bake at 350} September 28, 2010 at 6:19 pm

Gail is a COOKIE GENIUS!!! And she’s a doll to boot! LOVE her! :)

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Grace September 30, 2010 at 10:48 am

These tips couldn’t have come at a better time. I am finally going to try my hand at decorating cookies. I have never done it and quite frankly it scares the hec out of me. I’ve seen the little icing bottles before and I thought of picking them up and now I will for sure. Anything to make it a little easier. I’m sure it’s one of those things that once you try you wonder why it took you so long, at least I hope so. Thanks for sharing!

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diva October 5, 2010 at 7:00 am

such beautiful cookies! I really want to buy Peggy Porschen’s Cake Chic cookbook so I can make cookies of 1950s dresses and shoes etc. Your post was useful, and that cat cookie….. love it! x

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Kim October 18, 2010 at 1:06 pm

I’m gonna write a personal testimony here about how much Gail rocks. :) I recently got talked into making owl cookies / (or owl cupcakes if I can pull it off) for a work colleague’s baby shower this Wednesday. So last night, still not knowing what to do, but knowing Gail is a master at this sort of stuff, I sent her a message to ask for advice. And now I’m on my way to making some owls. Keeping fingers crossed they all go well.

And I’ll be following the advice from this post to make those cookies.

See why I LOVE the Twitterverse for bringing people together?!

[K]

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jenny June 5, 2012 at 6:22 pm

which craft store can I get these bottles ? can’t find in michael’s … thanks

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