Hey Besties! Temps are warming, kids are almost done with school and that means we’re heading into grad season! For bakers, it’s an incredibly busy time of year. But more importantly, these are once-in-a-lifetime events for people, and we have an opportunity to make them even more special. Today I’m sharing these custom graduation photo cookies which are always a huge hit! A dessert table with beautiful goodies is always adored, but there is definitely something special about edible photos! Most people have never seen these, and they are a guaranteed ice breaker! Read on to see just how easily these can be created!
Making Grad Parties a Memorable Event
Before we get into the details on how to make these photo cookies, I want to remind you that as a baker, you have a unique opportunity to help make these events spectacular. For many parents, this may be their first time planning a grad party. Or even if it’s not the first time, it’s fair to say everyone wants their event to be amazing and meaningful. Now I’m not suggesting you take on the party planning role, but I do know that YOU know your products best. You know how they are best displayed, how they are best enjoyed and what will really WOW the guests. I wrote an entire post all about how you can help make these events super successful and grow your business at the same time. I encourage you to read it HERE so grad season can be a huge success for you!
Edible Photo Cookies
I have to admit, I love the endless design options having an edible printer presents. But I really love making photo cookies, knowing how memorable they can make an event. If you don’t have an edible printing setup at home, but are interested, THIS post gives you all the info you need. I did what seemed like an endless amount of research and testing to find the right setup. And I was actually shocked at how affordable it was and wish we did it much sooner! For quick reference, this is the edible printer and ink we use.
For these cookies, I used both square and rectangle cutters to best accommodate horizontal and vertical photos. I highly recommend THIS set of cutters for shapes you will use on repeat! Next, I measured my cookies to determine exactly how big I wanted the photos to be. You can then use Canva to format your photos for the icing sheets. By selecting Elements, then Frames, you can select any shape and size you want. Then add your photos and save as a pdf to be able to send to your edible printer.
From there, you can simply print and cut your images out. For these shapes, we use a paper cutter, so it is quick, easy and perfectly straight. Now it’s time to start creating your cookies!
Making Photo COokies
First things first, if you need a fantastic, no-chill cutout cookie recipe, THIS is our daily go-to. If you want to have fun with flavors, you have a whole collection available to you HERE. And if you want to know how we make our royal icing, THIS post gives you all the info!
For these photo cookies, I use a thin coat of royal icing as the glue to adhere the image. The easiest way I achieve this is by piping on a flood consistency in the area the photo will be and then use a scraper to thinly spread across the area. You definitely want icing under the entire image before you gently place it on. Here are examples of what a cookie looked like before and after adding the edible photo.
I let the edible image set on the icing for at least a couple of hours before adding the piped frame. But then it really is that simple…pipe around the photo, using a Polaroid picture as inspiration. Then let the cookie completely dry. Here are several of the cookies drying before adding the piped frame.
Once dry, you can use your favorite edible marker to add on fun, freehand sentiments. Just like an old photo! Scattered on the party tables, intermixed with other goodies, these are sure to bring smiles to all the guests. They’ll be shocked they are a tasty treat!
Making graduation photo cookies is always fun, but especially when it’s for someone we know and love! For these graduation photo cookies, we are excited to be featuring our family friend, Isabella, who we’ve known since she was just a toddler. We still can’t believe she’s graduating, but we’re so excited to see everything she does. Beautiful inside and out, she sure brought these cookies to life! Congratulations, Ella!
I hope this post all about making graduation photo cookies has inspired you to make some of your own! Both parents and graduates will always remember these special treats!
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