Cookies come in all shapes, sizes and flavors, and everyone has their preferences which are personal to them. One factor that is completely a matter of personal taste is whether the perfect cookie should include frosting or not? Here, we debate the pros and cons of adding frosting to your cookie creations.
THE PROS: 3 Reasons Frosting Is Fab!
- Frosting makes cookies look pretty: Clever frosting can turn plain and boring cookies into something truly magnificent. Whether you opt for simple colored frosting or ice intricate patterns onto your cookies, you can transform a tray into a masterpiece with a few techniques up your sleeve. Give your baked goods a theme to tie in with a holiday or children’s party, or simply make them look irresistible, like these cute camel cookies. Your designs don’t have to be complicated, you can create some stunning effects with very little. The internet is full of tips, tricks and amazing inspiration, so have fun with your frosting!
- Cover up mistakes for perfect presentation: Was your oven a little fierce today? Did you get distracted and forget about your cookies baking? Is your batch uneven or your shapes wonky? Frosting is a fast and easy way to disguise burned edges and singed raisins. Not only will your decoration efforts mean mistakes are no longer visible, the extra kick of sweetness from sugar frosting will disguise any burnt taste too. If you haven’t got time for a full royal icing covering, a drizzle of melted chocolate or a sprinkle of icing sugar will distract the eye and have the same magical effect.
- Decorating cookies keeps kids happy for ages: Give a child a bowl of frosting and a selection of sweets, candy and other treats to use for decoration, and they’ll merrily busy themselves for ages creating faces, patterns and pictures on a batch of home-baked cookies. The result may not be pristine and neat, but cookie decorating is a great family activity which keeps kids entertained away from technology, and provides a tasty snack to share with friends afterwards – it’s a win-win situation!
THE CONS: No Frosting For Me, Thanks!
- Sugar Overload: Frosting can be good, but it really depends on the type of cookie and how sweet it is to begin with. Some people just find too much sweetness hard on the teeth and the taste buds, and loading up an already sugary cookie with yet more sugar is a no-no.
- Mess-making potential: Many people love to dunk their cookies into their favorite tea, coffee or glass of milk for the ultimate comfort-food treat. Hot drinks plus frosting is a recipe for disaster, and could risk spoiling the cookie, the coffee and the entire experience, so dunkers sensibly tend to prefer un-iced biscuits!
- Ain’t nobody got time for that! One of the great things about cookies is that they’re so quick and easy to make. Unless you’re going for a show-stopping display incorporating intricate icing techniques and cute designs, adding frosting to homemade cookies is too time-consuming for many bakers. You have to wait for your freshly baked cookies to cool, spend time and effort icing them and then wait for it to set, only for all your hard work to be devoured in just a couple of bites. Part of the joy of making cookies at home is eating them while they’re still warm, and frosting just isn’t part of that experience!
