Strawberries check all of my boxes. Sweet, tart, pairs well with chocolate. Check, check, check. They're also just so darn cute and happy. I found some Kate Spade strawberry linens last week and just might have squealed in TJ Maxx. (Sorry, fellow Maxxinistas.)
I've made strawberry cookies before, but really wanted to do a strawberry "basket" this time. Is that what you call them, "baskets?" I mean, I have one, and it's ceramic, but basket sound so much cuter than "ceramic container."
Anyhoo...I tried channeling my inner Callye (Sweet Sugarbelle). She has this brain that can flip and turn and reimagine any cookie cutter shape and make it something new. After rifling through my cookie cutters...and my brain...I decided that I could make my cupcake cutter work with a minor adjustment. I lopped off the top.
Before I started decorating, I searched for strawberry basket cookies online. WELL. Wouldn't you know that there is a strawberry basket CUTTER available on Etsy? It's made by Sweet Leigh Printed; she makes some of the most darling cutters ever.
SweetLeigh also has an example of them decorated by Petite Treats By Kelly. I ended up taking my decorating inspiration from here because HOW COULD I NOT?!? They're beyond precious, as is all of her work. Wow.
Let me show you how I did the baskets and the strawberry flowers.
These are the recipes you need: cut-out cookies and royal icing.
For decorating, you'll need:
- cut-out cookies, cupcake (doctored as above) and small circle (I used a scallop)
- royal icing, divided and tinted red, egg yellow + lemon yellow, white, and leaf green
- offset spatula
- disposable piping bags
- couplers
- icing tips: #2, #1, leaf, petal
- toothpicks
- squeeze bottles
For the baskets:
Spread piping consistency red icing onto the bottom of the strawberry basket cookies. Let dry for at least 30 minutes.
Use a #2 tip to outline the shape of the strawberry basket over the red icing.
Reserve some of both of the red and white piping consistency icing before thinning the remainder with water. Stir water in a bit at a time, until the icing is the consistency of thick glue. A ribbon of icing dropped back onto itself should disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two" (or three). If the icing is too thin, add sifted powdered sugar.
Let the thinned icings rest, covered with a damp dish towel for several minutes. Stir gently with a silicone spatula and pour into squeeze bottles.
Fill in the white section of the basket. Use a toothpick to guide to edges and to pop air bubbles. Let set for at least 30 minutes.
Use the reserved red piping icing to outline strawberries on the top of the basket. Fill with the thinned red icing. Let the icing dry for at least one hour.
Use a leaf tip to add leaves to the top of the strawberries. Use a #1 tip to add seeds in yellow icing.
For the flowers:
use a petal tip and white icing, side end facing towards you to make petals. Squeeze while moving the piping bag in a small arc. Rotate the cookie to complete the flower. Use a #2 tip to add dots of yellow in the centers.
Let the cookies dry uncovered for 6-8 hours or overnight.
[NOTE: check the icing consistency of the white and green icings before piping. You'll want the icing stiff enough to keep its petal or leaf shape. If the icing has loosened, add sifted powdered sugar until stiff.]
Who are my fellow strawberry lovers?!?
