Well it's out there. I'm a Walking Dead fan which is kinda strange as I really do not like horror or scary films at all.
So when I decided to make up some Zombie nesting doll cookie's I had to throw in someone from The Walking Dead and who else could it be but Daryl Dixon.
Anyhoo I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be doing Daryl's arms any justice so I chose to make the cookie in the poncho outfit. Plus I find it kinda weird that the only people that look good in poncho's are 6 year old girls and Daryl Dixon. I'm not sure how that works, maybe it's the cross bow accessorizing.
The actual zombie cookies come in two types. Traditional green brain hanging out and the new walking dead inspired grey skin, gold eye and mildly more gory version (notice the missing hand).
If you follow the blog y'all would know I have some type of obsession with making stuff into nesting doll cookies (matroyoshka or babushka). If you use the search tool at the right you can find previous Halloween cookies I've made as pictured below.
Cookie instructions for Male Zombie, Daryl and fondant cross bow included below: There is a link to another post with the sugar cookie roll out recipe I use.
Daryl Dixon and Zombie Nesting Doll Cookie Instructions
Male Zombie Cookies (walking dead inspired)
These instructions use the medium nesting cookie cutter, follow the exact same instructions for small or large nesting doll cutter. For traditional green zombie replace green fondant for grey and add a partial piece of gummy brain onto the head.
Sugar cookies made using medium nesting doll cookie cutter (CLICK HERE for post with a cookie recipe)
rolled fondant shop bought or home made marshmallow fondant (Coloured Grey, White, blue, black and yellow - pink if you are making female)
small rolling pin
medium nesting doll cookie cutter (around 9.5cm or 3 3/4 inch)
small sharp knife
clean brush and water
black edible writing pen
gold dusting powder plus dry clean brush
*Fondant dries out very quickly. Use small amounts work quickly and when not in use place the fondant in an airtight container or ziplock bag to minimise the chances of it drying out and cracking.
Roll out the grey fondant onto a clean benchtop dusted with cornflour/ cornstarch until a couple of mm (1/8") in thickness. I like to lift my fondant frequently and turn it like pie dough to ensure it does now stick to the bench while rolling it out.
Use the nesting doll cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Do the same with the black, blue and white colored fondant.
Refer to picture above as part of instructions
Place the black and blue fondant cut outs on top of each other and using the sharp knife cut out boots. Place the white cutout on top of the blue and using the knife cut a ragged shirt/pants then finally place the grey on top of the white and cut out a zombie face. Use a small amount of water to adhere the fondant cutouts onto the cookie, using the rolling pin to press into place as necessary.
Using the back of a knife or a fondant tool imprint an indent in the middle of the jeans and shoes.
With the remaining offcut head of the white fondant use the sharp knife to cut out a shoulder with ragged sleeve edges.
With the remaining offcut from the grey fondant use the sharp knife to cut out an arm and hand.Refer picture below. I gently twisted each finger to round the shape out a little, and then used the tip of a #1 piping tip to make nail indents, but just cutting the shape would be ok. On some of the cookies I did not put a whole hand and just added red fondant for a bloody stump (with a little white bone sticking out).
Make a second smaller arm and hand.
Adhere the shirt shoulder and larger arm to the zombie cookie as per picture and the smaller arm to the other side, the different sizes and prominent shoulder is supposed to give the allusion of lurching.
Roll out the yellow fondant and using the nesting doll cookie cutter cut out a head. Using the sharp knife cut out hair for the zombie and adhere with a small amount of water.
Using the knife, add some indents into the zombie's grey skin.
Add eyes, I used a small amount of white fondant and added yellow iris with a small amount of gold lustre dust. Any color would be ok - or you could just draw on eyes with an edible pen.
Optional - shape a small amount of grey fondant into a triangle and add a nose.
Draw on a mouth using the edible pen.
Allow to sit to until the water and pen have dried and then store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Daryl Dixon Nesting Doll Cookie
*I use chocolate fondant for the dark brown, add white to make a lighter brown and mix black fondant into the chocolate fondant to make black. I just think it tastes better this way.
Sugar cookies made using medium nesting doll cookie cutter
rolled fondant shop bought or home made marshmallow fondant (Coloured Skin tone, brown, blue, black, cream, red and light brown)
small rolling pin
medium nesting doll cookie cutter (around 9.5cm or 3 3/4 inch)
small sharp knife
clean brush and water
black edible writing pen
*Fondant dries out very quickly. Use small amounts work quickly and when not in use place the fondant in an airtight container or ziplock bag to minimise the chances of it drying out and cracking.
Simple Fondant Cross Bow - the cross bow is of course optional (Umm yeah right - without it he's just some weird guy wearing a poncho)
Roll out the black fondant onto a clean benchtop dusted with cornflour/ cornstarch until a couple of mm (1/8") in thickness. Use the nesting doll cookie cutter to cut out the head, then move it inwards a little and press down again to cut out the front of the cross bow. Smooth it a little with your fingertips and pull the edges up a little as shown in the picture above.
Roll a thin strip of black fondant (or use an extruder) and shape into an upside down U. Make the U very thin and long and then place the front of the crossbow onto the top of the U shape, press the ends of the U together and then cut off excess fondant.
Roll out another even thinner strip of black fondant, attach it in the middle to the back of the crossbow (see picture) and then pull each end up to the ends of the crossbow 'front'. Cut of excess with sharp knife. Allow to set for a little while on baking paper while you make the Daryl Cookie.
Daryl Dixon Cookie
I mixed together grey, blue and brown to make dirty jean color fondant, this is optional you can just use blue or grey if you like
Roll out the jean colour fondant onto a clean benchtop dusted with cornflour/ cornstarch until a couple of mm (1/8") in thickness. I like to lift my fondant frequently and turn it like pie dough to ensure it does now stick to the bench while rolling it out.
Use the nesting doll cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Do the same with the dark brown, cream and skin tone colored fondant.
Place the dark brown and jean color fondant cut outs on top of each other and using the sharp knife cut out boots. Place the cream cutout on top of the jean color and using the knife cut a deep V for the bottom of the fondant then finally place the skin tone on top of the white and cut out Daryl's face. Use a small amount of water to adhere the fondant cutouts onto the cookie, using the rolling pin to press into place as necessary.
Using the back of a knife or a fondant tool imprint an indent in the middle of the jeans and shoes.
Roll out the lighter brown fondant and using the nesting doll cookie cutter cut out a head. Using the sharp knife cut out chunky asymmetrical hair and adhere with a small amount of water.
Roll out the red fondant and cut into thin strips, adhere around the neck and hem of the 'poncho'. then make small triangles and decorate the poncho (see picture above for example).
Shape a little excess light brown fondant into a moustache and beard - see picture above for example.carefully adhere with a tiny amount of water.
Use the edible black pen to draw on extra detail. I added dots along the red poncho trim and in the middle and side of the red design on the poncho.
Add eyes, arched eyebrows and a mouth. Make sure he's not really smiling too much.
Place the crossbow onto Daryl's shoulder adhering with a very small amount of water.
Allow to sit to until the water and pen have dried and then store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from The Walking Dead.
Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.
Original photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer for Bubble and Sweet do not reuse without permission.
