
Growing up in the ’90s, I have memories of playing cassette tapes as a kid, right before CDs rolled around. I wanted to create an edible, vibrant and playful version of a slice of my childhood — which is where these cookies come in! These delicious vanilla bean sugar cookies are a sweet nostalgic treat for any occasion. Now get your rolling pins out and let’s rock ’n’ roll!
CASSETTE SUGAR COOKIES
Makes approximately 14 true-to-size cassette cookies
Ingredients:
- 3 cups plain flour
- 1 cup butter (room temperature and cubed)
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Decorations:
- royal/cookie icing
- gel food coloring
- piping bags
Instructions:
1. To make sugar cookies: Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla bean until combined, then gradually add flour and mix on low until well incorporated. Divide dough into 2 evenly sized discs, then wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. When dough is chilled, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a clean and lightly floured surface to approximately 1/4 inch thick, then, using a cookie cutter or a knife, cut into cassette tape shapes. If you don’t have a cookie cutter like mine, print out a cassette-shaped template, and cut around with a knife. Lastly, cut holes in the center using jumbo straws. Alternatively, you can use a piping tip that’s approximately the same size.
3. Carefully transfer the cut cookie dough onto the baking trays, then place in freezer to chill for 10-15 minutes. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. As ovens are usually heated unevenly, make sure to rotate the baking tray halfway through. Cool on baking tray until cookies are warm to touch, then transfer to a cooling rack
4. To decorate: When cookies are completely cool, it’s time for the fun part — decorating! Using homemade or store-bought cookie or royal icing, dye your icing in desired colors. I used gray, yellow, pink and turquoise for the base, and black for the outline to give it a more retro look.
5. First, outline the cookies with gray icing, then pipe and fill in the gray areas, using a toothpick to smooth out the icing if needed. Allow to dry for roughly 30 minutes. Next, fill in the colored areas and the small white rectangle in the center. Don’t worry if the lines between the two colors are not perfect, as they will be covered with the black outline. Leave this coat to dry for at least another 30 minutes, then, using the black icing fitted with a thin piping tip, carefully pipe on the outlines of the cassette tape, in addition to the smaller/more intricate details.
After the cookie dough has formed, divide dough into two evenly sized discs, then wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Roll the dough out on a clean and lightly floured surface to approximately 1/4 inch thick, then, using a cookie cutter or a knife, cut into cassette tape shapes. If you don’t have a cookie cutter like mine, print out a cassette-shaped template, and cut around with a knife. Carefully transfer onto lined baking tray and chill for 10-15 minutes in freezer.
Don’t forget to cut holes in the center using jumbo straws. Alternatively, you can use a piping tip that’s approximately the same size.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. As ovens are usually heated unevenly, ensure to rotate the baking tray halfway through. Cool on the baking tray until cookies are warm to touch, then transfer to a cooling rack.
When cookies are completely cool, it’s time for the fun part — decorating! First, outline the cookies with gray icing, then pipe and fill in the gray areas, using a toothpick to smooth out the icing if needed. Allow to dry for roughly 30 minutes. Next, fill in the colored areas and the small white rectangle in the center. Don’t worry if the lines between the two colors are not perfect, as they will be covered with outline. After leaving to dry for another 30 minutes, add in the black outlines of the tape.
Lastly, add in the more intricate details using the black icing, and you’re done!
How awesome are these colorful cassette tape cookies? Don’t they bring back memories?
Yep, they fit in a real cassette case… which means you can trick your friends!
Another cute idea is to write sweet little messages/song names on them and give them as gifts.
Whisk your friends away with these delicious pops of nostalgia!
Show us your colorful sugar cookies by tagging us on Instagram and using the hashtags #bcfoodie & #britstagram!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.