PIONEER DECORATING IDEAS RECIPES

Steps:

• For the graham cracker crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar until well combined. Press a heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup and bake until golden and just set, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the cupcakes: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the buttermilk, water and oil and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool in the tins on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the tins and allow to cool completely.
• For the marshmallow frosting: Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are warm and smooth to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on low speed, gradually increasing to medium and then finally up to high. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 7 to 10 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and whisk in the vanilla.
• Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. With a handheld pastry torch, lightly brown the frosting. Decorate each cupcake with a graham cracker piece and a shard of chocolate.

Steps:

• For the sugar dough: Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the egg and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Reduce the speed to low again and slowly pour in the egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, increasing the speed as the dough gets thicker to keep the beaters spinning. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters as needed. Once all the flour is just incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and bring it together. Divide into 2 even pieces. Shape each piece into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• To roll, cut and bake the cookies: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Dust another sheet of parchment paper with flour and put 1 piece of the dough on top. Dust with more flour and top with another sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out between the parchment sheets into a square about 1/4-inch thick (about 11-by-9 inches) and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• From 1 piece of rolled dough, cut out cookies with a 2 1/2-inch cutter and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate while you cut the remaining cookies. Reroll any scraps of dough and repeat the freezing, cutting and refrigerating process until all the dough is used.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets front to back and bottom to top about halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets set on a wire cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and the vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes (add up to 1 tablespoon more water, if needed). Tint with a few drops of food coloring if desired.
• Fit a pastry bag with a small round tip and fill it with the icing.
• Pipe royal icing on cookies with the design of your liking and let dry for 30 minutes.