Bake Adorable DIY Pencil Cookies for Teacher Gifts

Making Pencil-Shaped Cookies for Teacher Appreciation Gifts

With Teacher Appreciation Day coming up, it's time to start planning a thoughtful gift to show your child's teacher how much you appreciate their hard work. One fun idea is to bake a batch of cute pencil-shaped cookies to gift to your child's teacher. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to make these adorable #cookies using #diy pencil #cookiecutters.

Decorating Supplies Needed

To make pencil cookies, you'll need:

• Pencil-shaped #cookiecutters
• Rolling pin
• Cookie sheets
• Ingredients to make sugar cookie dough
• White and yellow frosting
• Food coloring gel or powder in school bus yellow, red, blue, green
• Chocolate sprinkles for eraser tips

Make the Cookie Dough

First, prepare a batch of your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe, or use refrigerated pre-made dough for an easier option. Chill the dough so it's firm enough to roll out and cut shapes.

Cut Out Pencil Shapes

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use the pencil #cookiecutters to cut the dough into long rectangular shapes. Place the shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about an inch between cookies.

Bake the Cookies

Bake the cookies according to package or recipe instructions, usually 8 to 12 minutes at 350°F. Let them cool completely on the baking sheets before decorating.

Decorating DIY Pencil Cookies

Make the White Frosting

To make the "wood" portion of the pencils, you'll need some white frosting. Prepare a batch of buttercream frosting or use canned frosting. Place half into another bowl and dye it yellow for the pencil tips.

Coat the Sides

Using an icing knife or small spatula, coat the sides of each pencil cookie with a thin layer of white frosting to create the wooden barrel. Leave the ends unfrosted for now.

Add Colorful Details

Next, frost the very tip of the pencils yellow using the dyed frosting. Before the frosting dries, add chocolate sprinkles to the end for the eraser tip.

If desired, use food coloring gel to tint some additional white frosting shades like red, blue, or green for fun details. Make stripes, polka dots, or squiggles onto the pencil barrels. Get creative with the designs!

Finish with Exam Themes

Consider decorating some pencils like #2 pencils with the gold foil near the tip. Or add messages like "You're #1 Teacher!" with black gel icing for a cute teacher gift. Have fun decorating with your kids!

Teacher Appreciation Cookie Gift Ideas

Now that you've made cute pencil cookies for #teacherappreciation, here are ideas for how to give them:

Sweet Notes

Package the cookies in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon. Attach a tag with a thoughtful thank you note. List reasons why you appreciate your child's teacher after the phrase "Top 10 Reasons Why You're the Best Teacher Ever."

Apple for the Teacher

Tuck a single apple-shaped cookie in with the pencil cookies. Or give the apple cookie on its own tied with a ribbon like a little gift, along with a thank you card from your child.

Tools for School

Make pencil cookies along with some other school-themed shapes like apples, school buses, chalkboards, ABC blocks, and rulers. Arrange the assortment neatly in a cookie tin or box tied with ribbon.

Gift Basket

Pair the pencil cookies with other small teacher appreciation gifts to make a gift basket. Ideas include notepads, pens, hand sanitizer, a cozy mug, chocolate bars, a scented candle, gift cards for coffee, etc.

Tips for Making Pencil Cookies

Freezer Friendly Dough

Make the cookies with a freezer cookie dough recipe. Shape and decorate the frozen pencil cookies up to a month in advance. Thaw and bake just before gifting.

Meltable Details

When adding icing details like stripes and polka dots, work quickly before the frosting melts from the cookie's warmth. Refrigerate iced cookies 10 minutes to help set the icing faster.

Prevent Breakage

Since pencil cookies are long and narrow, they can easily break. Reinforce by inserting a pretzel stick or wooden skewer into the base of each cookie before baking. Carefully transfer baked cookies to prevent snapping.

FAQs

How do you make the pencils look realistic?

Use white frosting to coat the sides of the cookies to mimic the wooden barrel of pencils. Add a yellow-frosted tip and chocolate sprinkles for the eraser end. Decorate creatively with colored gel icing for other details like stripes, polka dots, or exam slogans.

Can you make pencil cookies with stencils?

Yes, pencil cookie stencils are available to create the long rectangular shape. Simply cut around the edges with a small knife. Cookie cutters are easier to use but stencils will work too.

What kind of frosting works best?

Buttercream or cream cheese frosting pipes well onto cookies for decorating details. Canned frosting spreads easily for quicker coating. Or a glaze made with powdered sugar and milk can create a smooth finish.

How do you pack pencil cookies as a gift?

Arrange decorated pencil cookies neatly in a cellophane bag, box or tin. Tie with ribbon or baker's twine and attach a tag with a thank you message. Pair with small teacher appreciation treats to make a gift basket.