Follow The Corn Syrup Method For Beautifully Decorated Unfrosted Cookies

Homemade cookies aren't just one of life's most delightful little treats, they are practically a form of self-care. Whether making them entirely for your own pleasure, preparing them to share with family or friends, or maybe a bit of both, there's something about the act of making a homemade sweet treat that is intrinsically good for the soul. Decorating those cookies... now that's less an act of self-care and more an act of trying not to cry, for some of us at least.

Frosting that seems to get everywhere, candies that just won't form perfect concentric circles, chocolate that seems to seize every time you melt it again...the list goes on and on. Which is why The Washington Post's cookie decorating hack is the greatest thing to happen to cookies since milk. Jacquelyn Parkes, author of the "The 'I Love Cookies' Recipe Book," lets the publication in on a trick that seems tailor-made for those of us who love beautiful sugar cookies but do not love the decorating process.

As Parkes explains to The Washington Post, making plain sugar cookies shine as showpieces is as simple as gently brushing the tops of the cooled cookies with corn syrup in a decorative pattern. Then, pour sanding sugar in any color you desire on the cookies. The sanding sugar should adhere to the sticky corn syrup pattern, resulting in a beautiful cookie that is beautifully simple to make. From what we can discern, if there is a bit too much excess sugar on the cookie outside of the pattern, it seems like a quick shake should get rid of the excess while letting the sugar pattern on the corn syrup remain intact.

It is important to note that Parkes recommends sanding sugar in particular.  Sanding sugar is coarser than granulated sugar, which lets it sparkle, shine, and make for fantastic decorations, according to Martha Stewart (and Martha knows cookies).

Sanding sugar is literally made for decorating, whereas regular granulated sugar (white or brown) is made for baking, and powdered sugar is often used for making frosting and glazes, and sometimes for baking as well.

Importantly, sanding sugar is crunchy, won't melt or dissolve on the cooled cookie, and comes in enough colors to make your most rainbow-hued cookie decorating dreams come true.

Be sure not to substitute any other kind of sugar in this particular cookie decorating trick and the corn syrup hack is likely to be one of your most favorite, stress-free ways to decorate a batch of homemade cookies. It seems like a great way to host a cookie decorating party, especially with kids, since no piping bags or icings are involved. Just cool, brush, and decorate!