The Most Beautiful Anniversary Cookies Decorated With Love

Hey Besties! Today I’m sharing the most beautiful and meaningful cookies I’ve ever made! And while I’ve been decorating cookies, cakes and other treats for many years, it is this set that makes me feel like an artist. One cookie actually, to recreate a love story that lives on forever. These anniversary cookies were made to honor my grandparents, Mary and Don. And while their story could be one for the movies, this is really about the storytelling and artistry that’s possible in the world of home bakeries. So regardless of whether you’re a hobby baker or home bakery business owner, let’s celebrate the power and opportunity of what you can create in your very own kitchen.

Recipes

In the world of decorated cookies, it’s not enough to have a cookie that looks amazing but must also taste amazing. I used our coveted salted caramel cutout cookie recipe for these cookies. I know my grandparents would approve. This no-chill, no-spread recipe is getting rave reviews from bakers everywhere, for good reason. Soft and chewy when baked as directed, the flavor and texture offer everything you want in a fabulous cutout cookie.

Now, you should definitely enjoy at least one of these cookies plain, because they are simply that good. However, if we want to make beautiful cookie art, we need royal icing. If you have a recipe you love, go with that! But if you need a recipe or if your current recipe gives you any struggles, I encourage you to try the recipe we use every day. It’s very simple to make and we never have color bleed, craters or any other issues Just perfect results every time. You can find the exact recipe and method to make it HERE.

Cutters and designs

You have to love a set that utilizes basic shape cutters! Rectangle, square and circles are as basic as they get and work perfectly for photo cookies and endless other designs. We use the cutters from THIS cutter set and THIS set to create these.

When designing this set, I knew I wanted to include several old photos and utilize our edible image printing setup. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure how well the quality might be for these old photos, but I continue to be impressed with our edible printer. These old photos had been scanned, emailed via pdf file, electronically cut from the pdf, and formatted in Canva, before printing. Given all those steps, I thought the images may lose clarity, but I was thrilled with the results!

If you’d like to learn more about the exact edible image printer, ink and icing sheets we use, along with guidance on how we make photo cookies, you can find it all HERE. Many cookiers don’t realize that for less than $200, you can be printing your own high-quality edible images from home. You’ll save a boatload of money by printing yourself, compared to purchasing them pre-printed.

The Telegram Cookie

While I knew the photos of my grandparents would be special, it is this telegram cookie that reflects their unique story. And before I get into how this was made, indulge me for a moment to share the significance. I reproduced this cookie based off the actual telegram my grandpa sent my grandma. My grandpa was a decorated Army serviceman. He served in both WWII and the Korean War. He sent my grandma this telegram to let her know he’d be arriving home the day before their wedding and to meet him in Minneapolis. The telegram was sent on Sep 19, and they married on September 20, 1952. As soon as I saw the telegram, I knew it had to be a part of their story.

How I created this Special Cookie

To create this cookie, I started with a thicker-than-normal flood consistency. Knowing that I’d be placing parchment paper over the icing for the texture, I knew a slightly thicker consistency works best for this technique. Anytime I use embossed paper or parchment paper for these techniques, a thicker icing has helped capture the texture and avoid overflow of icing. I balled up a piece of parchment and then flattened it as best I could. I then add the parchment onto the wet flood, starting at one side of the cookie, and laying it across. This helps to avoid air bubbles trapped underneath the parchment. Here is a photo of the parchment paper on top of the icing.

Allow the parchment to sit on the icing overnight to fully set. Then you can carefully peel it off, to reveal the wrinkled paper texture.

From there, I used edible markers, specifically the Cookie Countess edible marker, and my projector, to replicate the telegram design. Was it hard to write on this texture? Yes, it was not easy, but that’s also part of the charm of the ‘wrinkled telegram’.

And to give a little more authentic, aged look to the cookie, I brushed the edges with cocoa powder. I debated using my airbrush but, I felt it might be a little too much. I wanted the aging to look very subtle.

I’m in love with how this cookie turned out and how it brings their story together.

Supporting Role Cookies

While the telegram cookie and photos cookies take center stage, you should never overlook the importance of supporting role cookies! These were simple designs that tie the story together. Messages and flowers to personalize even more.

Artistry Of Cookie Decorating

Not every cookie set is a perfect opportunity to tell a story, but many are. These anniversary cookies are a beautiful example of what can be created in your kitchen to commemorate, honor and tell unique stories. Sometimes people just want a cute, yummy cookie and those are great! But cookiers, never underestimate the artistry and power you have to convey messages and stories in an incredibly unique way.

I’ve been honored to connect with and feature amazing home bakers of all levels and specialties. The talent never ceases to amaze me! It’s pretty special what we can create with a pretty short list of ingredients. So get out there and show the world what you can do!

I hope you can feel the love in these anniversary cookies. I can tell you that while making these, it stirred up a lot of emotions and tears were shed. My grandparents only had 14 years of marriage together before my grandpa passed away in a car accident. My grandma never remarried and spent the following 45 years as a beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. Some love stories live forever.

If you enjoyed this post sharing these anniversary cookies, make sure to subscribe to receive my weekly newsletter. Never miss out on a new recipe, technique, Featured Baker and free printables! Happy Baking, Besties!