Quilt Cookies

These cookies are inspired by a glasswork technique called 'millefiori' which translates to a "thousand flowers" but I think the cookies look like little quilts. The glass technique involves creating rods with multicolored patterns that can only be seen at either end of the rod. The rod can be cut in cross sections, or beads, and keep the pattern throughout.

The possibilities are truly endless using this technique.

These will 'Wow!' almost anyone and make great gifts.

I hope you enjoy this Instructable and its 'mille' steps!

Step 1: Make the Dough

I mostly love this cookie recipe because it is a one bowl cookie dough! You will be kneading and mixing in food coloring so the dough will be well mixed without needing to sift the dry ingredients separately.

Icebox Sugar Cookie
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until combined. Add egg and vanilla mixing well. Sift flour on top of wet mixture and before stirring add the baking powder. When you start to combine the wet and dry ingredients, the flour and baking powder will incorporate well enough throughout the dough

Dump dough onto a piece of waxed paper and divide dough into six equal pieces. You can obviously use more or less colors but I chose six.

Comments

[asirap]

These are totally gorgeous. Well done!

[wold630]

Thank you!

[amani41364]

its very creative ;loved the idea

[Rowan_Winterhaven]

Absolutely stunning! The work that goes into these is crazy but the results are well worth it. I have a friend who frequently bakes for charity auctions and I'm sharing your instructable with her. I know that these would go for a pretty penny. Gorgeous work!

[pockypuppy123]

These look really fun and super cute, too bad were snowed in and the rest of my family is on adkins. ):

[capricorn]

Lovely, lovely lovely. I knew this tecnique from my pottery books, but never thought about using it for cookies.

Thank you for sharing. those are simply gorgeous :)

[kelseychelsey]

Do you have any tips on how to cut the cookie dough while it's frozen?

[wold630]

I just used a really sharp knife but I have heard that you can cut icebox cookies with thread or dental floss. I find that the knife works well and seems like it would be the most consistent for thickness. You can also let the dough sit out for a while before slicing, however, you risk it getting too soft and squishing your pattern when cutting.

[sprogmom]

I love these! I have to try, thanks for sharing!

[kcbirder]

What a great idea! I work in polymer clay, and have often used the "cookie dough in a tube with a snowman all the way through" description when trying to describe caning to people who've never seen it done. You have taken the cookie picture idea and boosted it up a bunch...the quilt look is beautiful.

You might also consider using the kaleidoscope technique to get mirror image details. You would just make one long dough log, then divide and flip-flop every other piece. http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/kalcane1.html or something like this in two flavors: http://pipsjewellery.blogspot.com/2009/03/step-by-step-kaleidoscope-cane.html

Thanks for the Instructable...it's terrific.

[angelabchua]

This is probably one of the most amazing things i have seen. They seem super time intensive, but totally worth the work when your friends find out you made these by hand!

[RollerScrapper]

These look like so much work, I don't think I could bear to eat one! Gorgeous!

[sherrycayheyhey]

Those aren't ridiculously impressive or anything haha

[amy-sue]

These cookies ARE AMAZING! What a clever idea. So creative! And I LOVE the colors too. :) Nice work!

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Wow! These are so beautiful! What a wonderful cookie idea!!!

[scoochmaroo]

Gorgeous! Really beautiful work.