Gay Marriage Cookies for Gay Pride

Sad to be missing the gay Pride celebration in NYC this month, I will be there in spirit.

This post was originally was supposed to showcase something sparkly and fluffy like last year. A fabulous creation like cookies with feather boas or cupcakes with tiaras. But as much as I love celebrating Gay Pride with frivolity, I can’t jump over the gay marriage issue this year. I’ve made protest cookies in the past but I didn’t want to taint this Pride Month post with something negative. Instead I landed somewhere in the middle and made these Gay Marriage Cookies of Hope.

I have more gay and lesbian friends than straight. Most are in committed long term relationships or marriages and have many children among them. I find it beyond unacceptable they don’t have the same rights as I do in my marriage.

There are so many horrendous issues facing us as humans today – hunger, poverty, natural disasters, environmental destruction and widespread economic crisis. Why there is a nano second of energy focused on preventing people having the full civil rights they are entitled to is to me the definition of insanity. Empowering productive members of society strengthens us all.

I am hoping this changes soon. Very soon.

If you are against gay marriage, don’t have one.

Period.

To all who are celebrating – Happy Pride!!!!

For the sugar cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 +3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (half cup) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
• Beat butter until creamy.
• Add sugar and beat until combined and fluffy.
• Mix in egg until just combined.
• Add vanilla.
• Mix in dry ingredients in thirds.
• Wrap dough in plastic film and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface, cut out shapes of your choice and bake for 10 -15 minutes. I try to take them out before they brown on the edges.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before decorating.

 

I used Bridget’s recipe over at Bake at 350. Terrific instructions and tutorials on how to decorate sugar cookies with royal icing can be found over at University of Cookie.

I measured the width of the cookie and then divided it into six parts. Using a food coloring marker and the ruler, I drew lines on the cookie to provide the outline for where each color icing would be piped.

Each stripe was piped in using the outline and fill method. I waited about 15 minutes before applying each successive color.

 

Waiting for each color stripe to dry gave me plenty of time to make the ring decorations.

When the last color (purple) was dried. I piped a red outline around the cookie.

For the Fondant Wedding Rings:

I cut strips from leftover yellow colored fondant and formed the rings.

Then I painted them metallic gold using disco dust.

Once the cookies were thoroughly dried, I gently pressed the rings into the tops of each cookie.