Cookie Cupcake Toppers

Inspired by...theme parties

I'm really loving this idea of using cookies as cupcake toppers! As it turns out, open sandwich cookies (e.g. Oreos) are the perfect round canvas for simple frosting drawings!  

​I first thought of the  idea when I wanted to decorate cupcakes using Natty Boh's face (if you're from Maryland, you'll know what that is...if not, see below!).  I'm not the best painter, so the idea of piping a perfect circle AND the details of his face were a little daunting.  Plus, the risk of black frosting bleeding into my already frosted cupcakes was just too much for me to take.  But luckily, this Oreo idea popped into my head just as I was about to give up.  And it worked!

And then since I had leftover, non-cream sides of the cookies, I went with a whole Baltimore baseball theme.  Oriole's logos and baseballs too! 

So now...I'm hooked!  What better way to create jack-o-lantern  Halloween treats than the orange cream filling of the seasonal cookies?  

And then just because I had the non-cream side of the cookies, I decided to make some spider's webs too.  And then I had some left-over regular white cream cookies...so those had to be made into ghosts and moons with bats.  Why not?!

I'm still not the best artist, but with this canvas, I feel like most line drawings are possible. Even if they're not perfect, they'll at least come out looking something like the picture in my head.  I've recently made some diamonds and hearts for an engagement celebration too.  

I think the possibilities might just be endless!  Obviously any flat, round cookie (chocolate, sugar, other brands of sandwich cookies) would work for this idea too!  You just need something that's sturdy enough to handle without breaking; something that's flat and a little smaller than the top of a cupcake.  And something that's yummy enough to eat on its own in case you have leftovers!

Directions

1. Make your "frosting" or find a tube of decorative frosting from the store (you just need a tube with a thin tip).  For homemade frosting, just mix some powdered sugar with a little water and food coloring in your desired color.  You want the frosting to be thick enough to hold its shape when piped but thin enough to pour off your spoon (not stay in a big glob).  If you find that it's too thick or too thin once you fill your piping bag, just squeeze it back into the bowl and add more water (to thin) or sugar (to thicken).
2. Open your sandwich cookies (if using cream-filled cookies).  Twist them carefully so that all the cream stays on one side.  (Save the ones that don't stay together for snacking on later!).
3. If there's a bit of cream stuck on the side that's supposed to be empty, you can scrape it off gently with the non-serrated side of a butter knife.  Cookie crumbs on the cream side can be wiped off with a butter knife that has been dipped in warm water.  But this step can be skipped altogether if it doesn't seem necessary to you (the Baltimore/baseball toppers above weren't scraped or perfected and they still came out ok!).
4. Pipe your frosting onto your cookie using a small round tip.  You may need to practice a couple of times before you get into the rhythm of it (just means more snacks for you!).  I usually use an internet image as a model, just so I have a good plan at the start.
5. That's it!  Eat them as is or use them to decorate cupcakes!  Enjoy! And Happy Halloween!