Zelda cookies

In 1987, a game was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System that would change gaming history and spark a passion for countless people worldwide: The Legend of Zelda. It remains one of the best -- if not the best -- gaming series of all time.

I was introduced to the original Zelda game as a child in the 1980s; I grew up a tomboy and played video games with my older brothers and childhood neighbors. While my family had Sega consoles (Master System and Genesis), our neighbors had the NES and SNES, and it was through my neighbor's NES that I was introduced to the magic of the original Zelda.

That game, the original, evolved into an epic series since, with Skyward Sword as the latest Zelda game for the Nintendo Wii. Many Zelda fans have a particular favorite in the series that ignited their Zelda obsession. The game that did it for me, personally, was Ocarina of Time. The music, the storyline, the game play... every aspect of the game is mind-blowing.

Ocarina of Time poster

Magic potions? Yes, please.

From the Triforce Tribute, Portland, Oregon. 

There is so much creativity expressed by Zelda fans:  Doujinshi, countless and beautiful artwork, music, and inspired culinary ideas are a few of the many examples. Wanting to express my love of the series, too, I've yet to make the insanely awesome Link pixel cookies, but I've made my own (albeit far less beautiful and sophisticated) Ocarina of Time themed-cookies. To make these easy-schmeezy Zelda cookies, you need a shortbread recipe (if you're gluten-intolerant like me, click here for a recipe, or you can do the not-from-scratch-shortcut and buy Bob's Red Mill shortbread mix), a little food coloring, and some cookie cutters (party hat and heart).

Zelda cookies. Omnomnom.

For Link hats: Separate the dough in half and add green food coloring. Mix well to blend. Roll out and use the party hat cutters. Slice the top edge of the party hat cut-outs with a knife, to give it less of a clownish look and more of a "Link hat" appearance. If you want to create stitches -- totally optional as Link's hat stitches aren't as visible in Ocarina as they are in, say, Twilight Princess -- take chocolate sprinkles and line them up to create stitches.

Ocarina of Time heart containers: Use a little bit of blue food coloring, mix well, roll out the dough, and use a heart cookie-cutter. After baking, use a little decorating gel coloring to draw the inner red heart.


Follow the recipe's directions for baking time and temperature.

More Zelda stuff to come, but in the meanwhile get your Zelda creativity fix from these sites:

The Geeky Chef blog
Zelda Party Channel