Mad Hatter Cookies

It’s prom season here in the USA. These cookies were for a very special prom that his hosted by the Upper Delaware GLBT. Many GLBT kids in our Pennsylvania area are not comfortable attending their own high school prom because they are hesitant to bring dates of choice.

This is where the UDGLBT steps in. For the second year in a row, a beautiful prom event was created for kids (and adults) at a local Best Western. There was a generous food spread, a great DJ, dancing and a photo booth and most importantly a safe and welcoming environment where young people could celebrate with their person of choice. Some even brought their parents.

I did not attend this year but I bought two tickets and donated them back to give away to two individuals who wanted to go but couldn’t afford the $45 per person ticket. I also made 190 mad hatter cookies, individually wrapped them and and donated them as favors for the event.

Many people dressed for the theme and wore homemade creative costumes. The event was a huge success and a theme and date has already been selected for next year.

For the cookies I ordered a Mad Hatter top hat online, made chocolate rollout cookies and then covered them with homemade marshmallow fondant.  For the hat itself I went with a black and white pattern using stripes, polkadots, stars and a tiger pattern. 

The accents were done with neon colored fondant using small cutters like butterflies and teddy bears. Once in place, I used disco dusted and sugar pearls for accents. The week before was extremely busy for my and I was stressed about completing them on time. 

A few minutes before the official start time, I rushed in to drop off the big box full of  these cookie favor, exhausted but happy.

For the homemade marshmallow fondant:

• 8 ounces of marshmallows (plain, flavored/colored ones)
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 pound of powdered sugar 
• Crisco or shortening
• plastic wrap or cling film

• Fit your mixer with the dough hook attachment, Cover the inside of your mixer bowl and the dough hook with Crisco or shortening. Then also grease a heat safe bowl, and a wooden spoon.

• Place marshmallows and water in the bowl.

• Microwave the marshmallows for 30 seconds at a time stirring the mixture in between with the wooden spoon.

• When the mixture is the consistency of Marshmallow Fluff,  transfer to the mixer and add  2 cups of the powdered sugar.

• Continue adding powdered sugar as the mixer works, one cup at a time until fondant forms.

• Cover your work surface with  your hands with Crisco or shortening.

• Dump the fondant on the greased surface and knead the fondant until all the sugar disappears.

• Wrap in plastic wrap until you use it.

• Wrap leftover fondant tightly in plastic cling film and store in a zip lock bag.