School is in full force now and you’re probably already used to the routine, so how about these nice edible chalkboard cookies to add some fun to the lunchbox?
When I thought about making these cookies, I started reminiscing about my early school days. Even though my childhood isn’t too far away, I was having a hard time remembering the key elements which made school so special for me. But then it hit me: I was always super excited about what came in my lunchbox! :p And even more whenever it was a special day because my mom would add candy or desserts and turned a boring lunch into something extraordinary.
That’s why I thought about these cookies because they transform a disliked classroom object (who likes chalkboard, really?) into something yummy and cute for their school lunch. It’s also a versatile recipe that’s easy enough for even kids to undertake, and a treat that you could bring to PTA meetings or school events.
So drop that chalk and start making these! See the detailed instructions, as well as a school-yearbook-photo version of me, in the recipe video below:
I have to be honest, the chalkboard cookies are easy to make but the black royal icing part that serves as the “board writing space” takes a long time to dry – I recommend you make them the night before you’d like to show them off or over the weekend. Once made, the cookies last for about 3-4 days if stored in a tightly sealed bag or container.
Let me know what other fun and special ideas you like to add to your kids’ lunchboxes! And happy baking!
Edible Chalkboard Cookies recipe
Edible chalkboard cookies
Equipment
- Wide straws
- Ruler
Ingredients
Edible chalkboard
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup of white sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of baking powder
- ½ tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 cup of bright white candy melts or white chocolate chips (for edible chalk)
Royal icing
- ¾ tbsp of meringue powder
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1½ tsp of cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp of warm water + more later to achieve color flow icing
- Black gel food coloring (or powdered)
Instructions
- Let's begin with the sugar cookies beating white sugar and butter together. Mix well, and then add an egg and a bit of vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Gradually beat in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. You'll end up with a yummy smelling dough.
- Transfer the cookie dough to plastic wrap and seal it well. Then, stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Before taking the dough out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 375 °F.
- Extend the dough with a rolling pin. Remember to flour the surface and your rolling pin thoroughly first.
- Your dough thickness has to be about 1/8 of an inch. To cut the cookies, use a ruler so that you can create some good-looking rectangles.
- Transfer the dough rectangles to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut the cookies' corners with a knife at a 45° angle. Then, bake your cookies for 10 to 14 minutes. Once they're ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool before decorating them.
- While the cookies cool, make your royal icing. It'll be the perfect surface to write on top of your chalkboard. Mix the meringue powder, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and warm water in a glass or metal bowl. Beat the mix thoroughly, and once it's halfway incorporated, add the gel food coloring.
- Don't worry if it looks messy in the beginning. It will develop and turn darker as you beat the mix. Use high speed for seven to ten minutes until you get a black and shiny mix.
- Before applying the icing, we need to use the color flow icing technique. Add water to the mix little by little. We want to get it runny enough to be smooth but not too runny to fall off the cookie.
- You'll know that you're icing is perfect when it incorporates and smooths out in a few seconds.
- Transfer the icing to a pastry bag with a small tip and decorate the cookies. Cover the top carefully using the pastry bag, and then extend the icing with a toothpick or an appropriate tool.
- Let the royal icing dry overnight so that you can write on it. To make your chalk, melt white chocolate in the microwave.
- Transfer the melted chocolate to a resealable bag and cut a corner so that you can use it like a pastry bag.
- Squeeze the melted chocolate into three wide straws until you fill 3/4 of each one. Place the wide straws on a small bowl with sugar so that the chocolate doesn't drip out of them. Then, stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Once the chocolate is hard, take it out of the fridge. You'll get your chalk by pushing from the empty parts of the straws. Then, you can write with your chocolate chalk on your cookies.
- And it's done!
Video
Notes
If you liked this edible chalkboard recipe, you might like some of my other recipes too. You can check them here.
And remember, if you try this recipe and want to share your pictures, remember to tag me @lacooquette on Instagram. I’d love to share your pictures on my IG stories.
Note: we posted this recipe originally on October 2, 2017.
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