Spruce up your cookies with this realistic edible moss recipe! This easy recipe uses crushed cookies and food coloring for a fun, textured topping. Perfect for nature-themed treats!
Edible moss is a fun and surprisingly simple cookie decorating technique commonly found on Easter cookies and other nature themed desserts.
While there are a number of different ways to make it, such as adding shredded coconut or matcha leaves, this edible moss recipe is a super simple, straightforward, 5 minute recipe and can be used on everything from cakes, cupcakes, dirt dessert, and of course – sugar cookies.
Why you’ll love it:
- Easy: This edible moss uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and requires minimal effort. Just crush cookies and mix with food coloring! It’s perfect for a quick and fun cookie decorating technique or baking project with the kids.
- Fun: This is a fun, simple, and creative way to add a touch of whimsy to any nature-themed dessert.
- Customizable: While this edible moss is commonly found on nature and springtime cookies, you can also use for all different kinds of themes and desserts. Try adding a touch of brown or black food coloring to the green for graveyard moss (it would be great in place of crushed Oreo cookies in these Halloween Cupcakes) or use it in edible terrariums, or to decorate cakesicles, or even on candy bark or pretzels!
Ingredients
- Graham Crackers: you can also use leftover baked sugar cookies, or other light colored sweet crackers or hard cookies (i.e. animal crackers, vanilla wafers, etc.)
- Food Coloring: I personally prefer gel food coloring as it is much more vibrant than liquid food coloring.
- Vodka: This is to thin out the gel food coloring. If using liquid food coloring, you do not need to thin it out with vodka, but you probably will need much more of the food coloring to get a nice shade of green.
How to Make
Step 1: Mix Food Coloring
Dilute the food coloring in 1 tablespoon of vodka. The more food coloring you use the darker the moss will be.
Step 2: Add to Crushed Crackers
Add the food coloring mixture to the crushed graham crackers. For a more natural coloring, with touches of light brown showing through, mix in the food coloring into the cracker with a spatula or fork.
For a darker and more uniform green color, mix in the food coloring using a food processor. This will distribute it more evenly and make it much darker.
If the color isn’t exactly to your liking, you can remix another tablespoon of vodka with more food coloring, and mix it in. Keep doing this until you get the shade you want (I did it twice).
Step 3: Decorate Cookies
There are two mains ways to decorate cookies with this moss, and it depends on how you are decorating them.
For Buttercream Frosted Decorated Cookies: If you’re decorating using buttercream frosting, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cookies and gently press the frosted side of the cookies into a shallow bowl or plate of the edible moss. That’s it! If using American buttercream, the frosting and moss will form a slight crust as they sit out.
For Royal Icing or Chocolate Decorated Cookies: If you’re decorating your cookies using royal icing, melted chocolate, or powdered sugar icing, flood the cookies with the icing or chocolate, then gently spoon the edible moss on top of the icing. If you try to press the cookies into the edible moss, it will create a big mess! Let the icing or chocolate dry, then gently brush off any excess. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- If the color isn’t exactly as you want, mix another batch of food coloring/vodka and add it in. You can also add in some other colors like yellow, brown, etc.
- You can use liquid food coloring in place of the gel/vodka but it will not be as vibrant of a color.
- Edible moss isn’t just for cookies! Use it to decorate cupcakes, woodland cakes, themed trifles, cakesicles, or cake pops.
- Store leftover edible moss in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or frozen in an airtight container or freezer ziplock bag for up to two months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Nope, it evaporates pretty quickly and does not leave any lingering flavor. If you’re concerned you can use a clear extract like clear vanilla extract.
You do not need to dilute liquid food coloring, but it is much harder to get a vibrant and strong color with liquid colors, which is why I prefer to use gel food coloring.
If you make the moss to dark, just add some more crushed cookies or graham crackers to even it out!
This recipe makes about 1.5 cups edible moss and can vary depending on how finely you crush the crackers. The amount of cookies you can decorate with it will also depend on the size and shape of your cookies.
Storing and Making Ahead
Store leftover edible moss in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or frozen in an airtight container for freezer ziplock bag for up to two months.
Looking for more springtime recipes? Check these out!
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Edible Moss Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 9 Whole Graham Crackers (1 Sleeve) crushed
- 1-2 tbsp Vodka or clear vanilla extract
- Green Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- If you haven't done so, crush your graham crackers or cookies using a food processor, until you get your desired consistency. You can also put the crackers in a ziplock bag and pound/crush with a rolling pin.
- Dilute the food coloring in 1 tablespoon of vodka. The more food coloring you use the darker the moss will be.
- For a more natural coloring, add the graham crackers and food coloring to a large bowl and mix in the food coloring with a spatula.
- For a darker and more uniform green color, mix in the food coloring using the food processor. This will distribute it more evenly and make it much darker.
- If the color isn’t exactly to your liking, remix another tablespoon of vodka with more food coloring, and mix it in. You can also mix in yellows, browns, or different shades of green.
- When you get your desired shade of green, it’s ready to use in your desired dessert/
Decorating Cookies
- If you’re decorating using buttercream frosting, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cookies.
- Gently press the frosted side of the cookies into a shallow bowl or plate of the edible moss. Remove from the dish moss, and enjoy!
- If you're decorating your cookies using royal icing, melted chocolate, or powdered sugar icing, flood the cookies with the icing or chocolate.
- Gently spoon the edible moss on top of the icing. Do not try to press the cookies into the edible moss like you would frosting. It will create a big mess! Let the icing or chocolate dry, then gently brush off any excess. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use liquid food coloring in place of the gel/vodka but it will not be as vibrant of a color.
- Edible moss isn’t just for cookies! Use it to decorate cupcakes, woodland cakes, themed trifles, cakesicles, or cake pops.
- This recipe makes 1 to 1.5 cups of edible moss.
- Store leftover edible moss in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or frozen in an airtight container for freezer ziplock bag for up to two months.
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