These funny pictures of people smoking are a playful batch of edible “photo” cookies: crisp-edged sugar cookies decorated with smoky-looking swirls and tiny, silly faces. They’re served as a novelty dessert, not real photographs, and the simple icing design works well for parties because each cookie can have its own expression.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon (8 g) for rolling
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (about 50 g without shell), at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk, plus up to 2 teaspoons (10 ml) as needed
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) light corn syrup, optional, for a glossier icing
- Black gel food coloring, about ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 ml), added gradually
- White decorating icing, 2 tablespoons (30 g), for eyes and highlights
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, until creamy and slightly lighter. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, scraping the bowl once.
- Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing on low just until no dry streaks remain. Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the butter and makes the dough easier to roll without adding excess flour.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour the counter and rolling pin, then roll the dough to an even ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness. Cut 12 rectangles, about 3 by 4 inches (7.5 by 10 cm), gathering and rerolling scraps once. Transfer them to the sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between cookies.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and just beginning to turn pale gold. The centers should remain light in color. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely, about 25 minutes. Icing warm cookies can make the decoration run.
- Stir the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk and the optional corn syrup. Add more milk a few drops at a time until the icing is thick but spreadable. Divide it: keep about two-thirds white and tint the rest gray with a tiny amount of black gel color. For a darker charcoal shade, add coloring in pinprick amounts; liquid food coloring can thin the icing.
- Spread a thin layer of white icing over each cookie, leaving a narrow border. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the surface begins to set. Put a teaspoon of gray icing on each cookie and drag a toothpick through it in loose, curved lines to make wisps of cartoon smoke.
- Use the remaining gray icing to pipe a small, simple head-and-shoulders silhouette near one edge. Add two tiny white icing eyes and a curved mouth to make the figure look surprised, sleepy, or comically puzzled. A small piping bag or a zip-top bag with a very small corner snipped off gives better control. Leave the cookies uncovered until the icing is firm, about 30 minutes.
Tips
- Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it, or weigh it. Packing flour into a measuring cup can make the dough dry and crumbly.
- If the dough gets sticky while cutting, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Avoid adding lots of flour, which can make rerolled cookies tough.
- For a dairy-free version, use a firm plant-based butter stick and unsweetened plant milk. Soft tub spreads may make the cookies spread more in the oven.
- Use gel coloring sparingly. Too much can make gray icing bitter or runny; mix gray with a toothpick tip of black and let the color deepen for a minute before adding more.
Serving Suggestions
Arrange the cookies on a platter with the different expressions facing up, or set them beside small cups of coffee, tea, or cold milk. They make a lighthearted choice for a movie night or a themed dessert table. If serving children, keep the joke clearly cartoonish and avoid real tobacco products or smoking props; the cookies are just illustrated sweets.
Variations
For round “snapshot” cookies, cut the dough into 3-inch (7.5 cm) circles and decorate each one as a framed scene. You can also replace the gray swirls with blue or purple icing for a whimsical, clearly imaginary effect. For a chocolate variation, replace ¼ cup (30 g) of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder; the dough will be darker and have a cocoa flavor, so use white icing for contrast. If piping tiny faces feels fiddly, use a black edible marker on fully set white icing and add the smoke with a toothpick.
Storage and Reheating
Once the icing has set, store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If stacking is unavoidable, place parchment between layers to protect the decorations. For longer storage, freeze undecorated cookies in a sealed freezer-safe container for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, then decorate. Decorated cookies can also be frozen, but condensation may soften or mark the icing as they thaw. These cookies are best served at room temperature and do not need reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Keep the wrapped dough refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes if it is too firm to roll. You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Why did my cookies spread?
The butter may have been too warm, or the dough may not have chilled long enough. Chill the cut cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm, and check that the oven has reached 350°F (175°C).
Can I use royal icing instead?
Yes. Royal icing dries harder and gives crisp outlines, but it takes longer to prepare and should be made with meringue powder or pasteurized egg whites. Use a flood-consistency white icing for the base and a thicker gray icing for the details.
How do I make the smoke look swirly?
Drop small dabs of gray icing onto the still-wet white base, then draw a toothpick through each dab in a loose S shape. Work one cookie at a time; once the base crusts, the gray will sit on top rather than blend into it.
Can I use a cookie cutter instead of cutting rectangles?
Yes. Choose a cutter with broad, simple shapes, since narrow points can brown quickly and are harder to decorate. Keep the dough about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and check the first tray a minute early.
Are these meant to depict real smoking?
No. They’re a cartoon-inspired cookie decoration using gray icing to suggest imaginary smoke. The recipe contains no tobacco or smoking materials.
Related
- Fruits and Vegetables in Korean: Names and Simple Salad
- Scientific Name of Eggplant: Species and Plant Facts
- Best Asian Eggplant Varieties for Your Garden and Kitchen
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).