Elf on the Shelf Cookies

Nothing beats an edible "self portrait" from your elf in the morning! Follow my easy step by step instructions to make these adorable Elf on the Shelf Cookies for gifts or a fun holiday surprise.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 13

Decorating time 1

Servings

5 from 1 vote

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Equipment

1 Elf cookie cutter (see "Ingredients and Special Tools" section in post)
Rolling Pin
4 8 oz squeeze bottles (see "Ingredients and Special Tools" section in post)
1 piping bag
#2 and #3 round piping tips
Red, pink, and black food-safe markers

Ingredients

1 recipe Vanilla Orange Sugar Cookie dough
1 recipe Royal Icing for Decorating Cookies
Red, ivory, peach, and brown gel paste food colors (see "Ingredients and Special Tools" section in post)
Lemon juice
White sanding sugar

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Instructions

Prep Cookies and Decorating Supplies

Cut out and bake elf-shaped cookies according to the instructions in my Vanilla Orange Sugar Cookies recipe.
Prepare one batch of my Royal Icing Recipe for Cookie Decorating.
Place one cup of icing into each of two small bowls. Tint one brown and tint one light peach or ivory (see Notes). Using lemon juice, thin the icings to "two step" consistency (see post for Royal Icing for Cookie Decorating) and carefully transfer each color to a squeeze bottle. Top each bottle with a coupler. Place a #2 round tip on top of each bottle.
Place about ¾ cup of icing into a small bowl. Using lemon juice, thin the icing only slightly to piping consistency, so that it is less stiff but still not runny and will hold its shape when piped. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a #3 round tip.
Divide the remaining icing into two bowls. Color one red and leave the other one white. Using lemon juice, thin the icings to "two step" consistency (see post for Royal Icing for Cookie Decorating) and carefully transfer each color to a squeeze bottle. Top each bottle with a coupler. Place a #3 round tip on top of each bottle.

Decorate Elf Cookies

Using the white icing in the squeeze bottle, pipe and fill the bottom of the elf hat (as shown in Step by Step photos in the post. )While icing is still wet, sprinkle with the white sanding sugar, gently shaking off extras.
Use the same white icing to pipe and fill the collar of the elf's shirt.
With red icing, pipe and fill the top of the elf's hat. Then, pipe and fill the bottom portion of the elf's shirt.
Use the brown icing to pipe and fill the elf's hair under the hat.
Outline and fill the elf's face using the peach or ivory icing. Repeat Steps 1-4 with the other cookies, and then let the icings set for at least 30 minutes.
Once the base icings have set, use the white icing in the piping bag to outline the top part of the elf's shirt. Use the same icing to pipe two oval eyes on the elf's face.
With the peach or ivory icing, pipe a small round nose on the elf's face. Let icings set for at least 4 hours before adding the finishing touches.
Once icings have dried, use your red food-safe pen to draw a smile on the elves' face. With the pink pen, add small round "rosy cheeks."
Use the black food-safe pen to draw smaller ovals onto the elves' eyes and sets of eyelashes onto the elves' faces.
With the white icing and the piping bag, pipe tiny white dots onto the center of each eye. Let icings set for at least one hour or overnight.

Video

Notes

When coloring the royal icing for the elves' faces. I usually do a mix of ivory and peach. But you can use one or the other as well as light pink, brown, dark brown.....even green if you want to make "Grinch elves!"
Once decorated, these cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week, depending on the humidity in your kitchen.

Nutrition

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