Themed snacks are a great way to make your TTRPG sessions more immersive. They can be used to engage the senses and pull the players into the game’s world.
But obviously, making unique themed snacks can be costly and time-consuming. This is especially true if you play games outside your home, as you must transport the snacks to the session’s location without them getting destroyed or spoiled.
However, this doesn’t mean thematic snacks are out of your reach. There are loads of ways to quickly transform simple, cheap, and easy-to-make snacks into immersive treats that will delight your players. This article will show you how to take a simple base recipe and tweak it to fit your session without breaking the bank.
Cookies are one of my favorite tabletop snacks. They’re simple to make and a breeze to transport. And let’s face it. Even a mediocre cookie is pretty damn good. And this means that even a beginner baker can create something delicious with minimal stress.
They’re also super easy to customize. With a little effort, you can take a basic cookie and turn it into a fun, thematically appropriate snack. So here are 5 ways to turn delicious homemade cookies into edible tabletop props.
Flavor
One of the simplest ways to make cookies more thematic is to change their flavor. A simple cookie recipe is a glorious canvas for many different flavors, from the simple to the more unexpected.
There are two main ways to change the flavor of a cookie. First, you could add something to the dough before you bake it. This could be anything from chocolate chips to spices.
The second is to top the cookie with something. Frosting and chocolate are the obvious choices, but flavored creams and fruit are also good options (if harder to transport).
If you decide to do this, think about what feelings, memories, and emotions different flavors evoke for you. For instance, many people associate cinnamon with winter, so if your players are venturing into the tundra, some cinnamon cookies will fill their minds with memories of chilly weather.
Of course, you could always use flavors that players will encounter during the session. For instance, make orange cookies if they’re exploring a region full of orange groves.
p.s. If you’re doing a pirate-inspired campaign, you could leave the cookies plain for that ultra-piratey Hardtack feel.
Food Coloring
Food coloring is a great tool. It is cheap, lasts for ages and most of all it is simple to use. A few drops can transform a simple snack into a fun prop!
Color is such a powerful tool for storytelling. Simply changing an object’s color can utterly change how people react to it and can suggest so many things. So it is just a case of thinking about what colors would mesh well with the session’s content!
Players encountering loads of slime monsters? Then give them some green “slime” cookies! Vampire-themed campaign? Then deep red cookies give them all the fun of blood drinking without the cleanup!
Does your setting have a unique magical fruit with a distinctive color? Then use food coloring to make cookies that look like they’re made from that fruit!
Toppings
Various toppings can be used to make your cookies stand out. While you can buy food glitters and dedicated cookie toppings from most supermarkets, you can also use fruit, chocolate, or candy to give your cookies a twist.
Food glitter is a personal favorite of mine as it can make your cookies look like fun, magic-touched treats fit for the fey. Like with flavors, think about what the players will encounter and what objects and flavors capture that mood.
But remember, if you’re topping a cookie, give the topping time to dry before you pack them up unless you want a container full of smeared toppings.
Shape
Cookies are super easy to shape. And that is one of the reasons I love them so much. Most kitchen supply stores have various cookie cutters that allow you to transform your cookies into anything from stars to 3D Dinosaurs!
But don’t think you need special cutters. Even rough shaping tools can help your cookies convey a tone or feeling. For instance, roughly shaped and mismatched cookies can be used to give a homely feel, suggesting that each cookie is handmade.
Presentation
One of the best things about cookies is that they are small and pretty resilient, allowing you to get creative with their presentation.
If your players are exploring an abandoned area and relying on rations, you could give them a small stack of cookies wrapped in wax paper held together with string. To give your players an “authentic” fantasy ration experience.
Interacting with witches? A deep dark bowl makes a great cookie cauldron.
A fancy ball with local nobility? Then a cute platter will let your players enjoy a bit of high society with their snacks. The only limit is your imagination!
Basic Cookie Recipe
Looking for a simple recipe to get you started? This is the basic cookie recipe I use all the time. It is quick, simple, and uses common household baking ingredients, so it won’t break the bank.
Basic Cookie
Ingredients
- 180 Grams All-Purpose Flour
- 85 Grams Granulated sugar
- 71 Grams Packed light brown sugar [Though dark brown sugar works just as well]
- 113 Grams Unsalted Butter [At room temperature]
- 1 Large Egg
- 0.5 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 0.25 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 0.5 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 C (375°F/Gas Mark 5)
- Get a baking sheet. Line it with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Beat the butter, sugars, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together. Do this until they're combined.
- Add the egg. Beat the mixture until it is smooth.
- Add the flour a little at a time. Mix until it is totally combined
- [OPTIONAL] If you're mixing stuff in (like chocolate chips,) add them now and mix until they're evenly distributed.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop up the batter and drop it onto the baking sheet. Try to put each drop at least 5cm apart. This will prevent the cookies from all joining together.
- Put the tray in the oven. Cooking can take anywhere from 10 to 16 minutes. It depends on your specific oven. For best results, cook for 10 minutes and then check every 2 minutes after. The cookies are done when they're golden brown with darker patches at the edge.
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool. Preferably on a wire rack.
Jonathon Greenall is a freelance writer, artist, and tabletop roleplaying game designer who has written for CBR, Polygon, Nintendo Life, Gayley Dreadful, Enbylife, and many other publications. They have also published several popular and highly-praised tabletop roleplaying games including “You Have One Ability….The Ability To Fuck This Up,” “Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic,” and “Wander Wizards.”
Jonathon has always been fascinated by media, from the big hitters to the small, obscure, and often overlooked titles that linger on the sidelines, capturing both the on and off-camera stories that make these shows so fascinating.
Jonathon is also a major anime fan, having been exposed to the medium through shows like Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Since then, Jonathon has maintained a passion for anime, watching most new shows each season and hunting down overlooked gems from previous ones.