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They didn't come out looking as awesome as yours, but I think I had an inferior shortbread recipe. Kids enjoyed making stencils, cookies and spray, though. And the wife like them.

It hardly used any spray either, so now I have a bunch left over. I've been stenciling PB&J sandwiches.

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Lenore,
Would you mind posting the shortbread recipe you used? Would I be correct to assume it doesn't contain any leavening (baking powder or soda)?

I didn't try these, but I want to :)

Dot

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I used the recipe from the Joy of Cooking since it didn't have leavening or exotic ingredients. Since I wanted lots of different colors, I split it into half batches. Here's the half-sized recipe: blend together until fluffy 5 Tbsp softened butter, 3/4 tsp granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt with 5-10 drops food coloring. Mix in 3/4 cup sifted flour. Bake at 300 F for 45-50 min (err on the low side so it doesn't brown too much).

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Hi, I tried a doing a few of these cookies with a similar shortbread recipe. I sprayed them with my stencils on them. However, when I pulled up the stencil, the lettering looked like it fanned out. Is there too much butter in my recipe or my stencil wasn't completely flat on the cookie? I have yet to try spraying the words on before cooking them. Can you give me more tips? Thanks.

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Sounds like your stencil wasn't flat on the cookie, or you sprayed too close to the cookie, and it blew under the stencil.

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Alternately, if you have a really wet ink, it can bleed away from the edges of the stencil. Try using less ink.

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Thank you for your advice of not spraying too close. I sprayed the lettering on before baking. I also put them in the fridge for at least 20 min before baking so that they would keep their shape (with the squared edges). I would like the stencil stronger though as they started to warp with the water-based spray. (I don't know about glazing them with glue since they touch the cookie.) In the end, they turned out as well as I thought (with my expertise)...wanted them perfect. But when I opened up a bag of Conversation Heart Candies, the lettering wasn't perfectly on also! I was then pleased with myself. Thanks for idea! Your website is great!

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By the way, here are my photos..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59470515@N06/?saved=1

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I'd love to know the recipe you used as well.

I also wonder if my stencil was too small? How big were the letters you used?

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