How to: Embossed Fondant Covered Valentine's Cookies

Still trying to decide what to make for your sweetie for Valentine's Day? How about a batch of beautifully decorated cookies. Maybe you're saying, "but I'm no good at decorating cookies." No problemo. These cookies are almost foolproof. They do require a few special tools, but if you can play with Play-Doh, you can make impressive looking cookies. As a bonus, the process is quick, and unlike cookies decorated with royal icing, they don't have to dry. Here's a brief tutorial on the process I used to make the cookies pictured here, using this recipe for chocolate chip cut-out cookies from The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle.

You will need:
Your favorite recipe for cut-out cookies, cut out in the shape(s) you desire, baked and cooled completely
Cookie cutters of desired shape(s)
Rolled fondant of desired color(s) - You can make your own if you like; I prefer Satin Ice
1 tablespoon corn syrup thinned with 1 tablespoon water
Impression mat(s) - I used a couple from my favorite local cake supply store (Sweet Wise), but you can find them at most craft supply stores
Luster Dust or Pearl Dust
2 food safe craft brushes (at least one should be soft bristled)

1. Roll fondant out fairly thin (about 1/16 inch) on a surface dusted with powdered sugar or cornstarch. I recommend working with small amounts of fondant at a time, as it dries out quickly on the counter. Alternatively, you can roll out fondant using The Mat, which is awesome to have in your decorating toolkit if you do very much work with fondant.
2. Using cookie cutter of desired shape, cut out fondant.
3. Using one of your craft brushes, apply a very thin layer of corn syrup/water solution on the surface of a cookie of the same shape.
4. Gently lift the fondant cut-out off the counter and lightly press onto the prepared cookie. Take care to not get any corn syrup on the side of the fondant that will face up. This will make your impression mat stick to the fondant, and will cause a mess.
5. Using the soft-bristled craft brush, lightly brush a coat of Luster or Pearl Dust over the fondant. This will not only make the design on your cookies stand out better, but it will also help ensure that the impression mat doesn't stick to the fondant.
6. Place an impression mat over the Luster Dust covered fondant. Gently and evenly press down over the surface of the cookie. Take particular care for cookies that are fragile, such as the "X" pictured. I broke a couple of them during this step. Carefully lift off the impression mat. If desired, apply another thin layer of Luster Dust.
7. Repeat with remaining cookies. That's it. You're finished.

Linked to: Creative Me, Make it Cute Monday, Just Something I Whipped Up, Comfy in the Kitchen, Tip Me Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Trick or Treat Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday