How do I get the decorations to stick to sugar cookies?

[laurel]

I'm making sugar cookies in the shape of pumpkins for my daughter's nursery school party tomorrow. I was hoping to 'dust' the cookies with orange sugar crystals, but how on earth do you make the sugar stick??? If I sprinkle it on after they're cooked, it falls right off. If I sprinkle it on before they're cooked it turns into melted goo. :) Please please, someone send me a cookie engineer!

[juliasmom05]

I haven't decorated cookies in awhile, but I thought you could always put them on before baking. Maybe its the type of sugar crystals.

What you can do however, is to paint or brush a light coat of light corn syrup on the baked cookies and then sprinkle the sugar on. This should help the sugar stick.

HTH

Marci

[wencit]

What kind of sugar are you using? Make sure you're using "sanding sugar." I made four leaf clover cookies by sprinkling green sanding sugar onto the dough before baking, and they turned out just fine (not gooey or messy). I bought mine at Williams-Sonoma, but you'll probably be able to find it cheaper elsewhere.

[dules]

We got some at JoAnn's that worked great. The grocery store should have some in a pinch.

If all else fails mix up a bit of icing with powdered sugar, milk and a bit of red and yellow food coloring.

Good luck!

Mary

[laurel]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I may have bought the wrong decorating sugar. I'm not much of a 'Martha' at these things. :) What a great site this is, every question I have is answered in the blink of an eye!