Did you know that 45 years ago, today, the very first episode of Star Trek aired on NBC?

Did you know that it was cancelled after three seasons? Only to be become a cult classic in the 70’s?

No wonder I like it. If I had been alive in the 60’s, I totally would have watched Star Trek (The Original Series, or TOS). I know I would have. And then it would have been cancelled, and I would have been sad. Because I always like the shows that get cancelled. And then I’m always sad.

Um. Hello? FireflyÂ (oooooo, you just wait until I make me a Firefly treat!!)?!

Yes, it’s always my luck to love the shows that no one else really pays any attention to until it’s too late and they’ve been off the air for three of four years. Fortunately, for me and every other Trekkie on the planet, Star Trek: TOS‘s sudden popularity in the 70’s spawned six more versions of Star Trek television series (including an animated one) and 11, going on 12, feature films.

Admittedly, when I was a little girl, I didn’t “get” this show. Sure, I thought Captain Kirk was cute, and I loved how pretty and sassy Uhura was, and Spock was uber-cool, even to my six year old eyes, but I never particularly enjoyed the show. I think it was mostly because it was “old,” and my dad watched it. Two automatic strikes to just about any kid. I did, however, love to watch the films that had been released, so I’m sure that I wasn’t giving the show a fair chance.

Then, in 1987, when I was just seven years old, Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) premiered. Being a long standing Trekkie already, of course my dad insisted on watching the show. I was instantly hooked. And I still am today, except I love TOS now, too. In some ways I love it even more, for so many reasons.

I love how campy and low budget it was. I love how cliche it could be. I love how Captain Kirk was totally a playa. I love how the crew is so clearly new and strange to one another at first, but you can see them become friends as the show progresses. I love the crazy “DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA, BRRREEEEEEEEE, BREEE BREEE, NA NA NA NA NANANANANA” music that plays when Kirk is forced to fight Spock in Amok Time. The list goes on and on. There is something distinctly “First” about TOS.

I am alone in the final frontier, on my mission. Nary a soul in my family, or even friends and acquaintances (that I’m aware of), has my deep seated love for Star Trek, the Enterprise, and her crew. In fact, I’m quite sure that they don’t even have a particular like for the show, let alone love.

What is a lonely girl geek to do on the 45th anniversary of one of her all time favorite shows?

Make cute cookies that everyone else will love, so that they’ll tolerate the Star Trek marathon that’s ’bout to play on Netflix Watch Instantly all day long. That’s what.

When I decided to make my Trekkie-versary cookies, I knew immediately that I wanted to do the characters somehow. Yes, I adore the Enterprise, and yes there are more instantly recognizable Star Trek icons than a sugar cookie representation of, oh, let’s say Ensign Chekov, but I adore the crew of TOS. Seriously. My favorite has always been Spock, but I have always Â admired the character of Uhura. Sure, the fact that she’s the only female in the main command crew helps, but more than that, it’s the fact that she doesn’t take any crap from anyone,Â she’s smart, she’s sexy, and she’s black. And she’s one of the main stars of a television show that first aired in the 60’s. Bravo, Uhura. Bravo, Nichelle Nichols! I will always love you.

The problem, in my opinion, with my choice to make the characters into cookies was that I didn’t want them to be all action figure-y. I never think action figures look anything like the character they’re meant to represent, and I wanted my cookies to have recognizable faces. Also, I wanted them to be cute.

I sketched out an idea for them to be sort of like dollies, with larger heads, and simplified bodies, and decided to make them into caricatures, of sorts. Most of the characters have distinctive features of some kind that can even be portrayed in frosting and food writers, but some of them (Kirk and Chekov, for example), are pretty basic, so it all came down to my interpretation of them.

All in all, though, I’m thrilled with how each and every crew member turned out! Obviously, Uhura and Spock were a cinch to make. Beautiful skin, bouffant hair, cat eyes, and that little red dress all scream Lieutenant Uhura, while Spock’s pointed ears, severe eyebrows, and distinctive bowl haircut make him instantly recognizable.

For Kirk, there wasn’t much to go with, except for the fact that he alone had somewhat blond hair, but I think that cocky little smirk helps convey some of his appeal to the many female aliens the crew encounters.

As for Dr. McCoy, I did my best to raise that one eyebrow and give him a sardonic expression. I meant to ad his medical satchel too, and completely forgot it. But I think you can still tell that he’s the big hearted, derisive doctor we all love.

Scotty was all about the eyebrows. James Doohan, who played Scotty, was really just a handsome, dark haired man (looks-wise, character wise he was so much more!), but he had some pretty dominant eyebrows. Hence the almost unibrow wiggling above his eyes. 🙂

Next came Sulu and Chekov, who are both yellow shirts, but are completely distinctive from one another. I was able to keep them different with their hair, but I also tried to convey a look of youth on Mr. Chekov by keeping his face very simple and sweet.

I. LOVE. These. Cookies.

For the actual cookies, like I said, i went for a sort of dolly look.

I used a basic round cookie cutter for the slightly over large head.

For the body, I used a paper template that was inspired by Munny dolls. If you have a great gingerbread type cutter that you like, that would be perfect for these.

I just stuck the bodies to the heads on the cookie sheet and they baked together perfectly. I think this cookie shape would be perfect for so many different character ideas. I mean, you could use it as the base for any caricature of a person that you wanted to do, but how great would this shape be for an astronaut cookie?! Or a deep sea diver. Or a helmeted motorcyclist? The possibilities are endless! 🙂

Once the cookies were cooled, I used fondant to start adding all of the details. As always, I used royal icing as “glue” to hold the fondant in place. I used food writers (Americolor ) to draw the faces on, and super gold luster dust for the Star Trek icon and rank details on the uniforms.

Seriously, I’m so thrilled with these little boogers. I don’t want to eat them. I want to make a movie with them. A super cute, awesomely geeky, and totally campy cookie version of Star Trek. I even made some extra redshirts that can die by violent devouring. 😉

Here’s some close ups of my cookie crew:

Captain James T. Kirk

Commander Spock

Dr. McCoy, aka “Bones”

Lieutenant Uhura

Mr. Scotty (front), Sulu (left), and Chekov (right)

I also made some cookies featuring the iconic Star Trek logo on a field of stars.

Even if you’re not a Trekkie, these cookies are too cute not to smile over. 🙂 Enjoy!

I’m off to go play dollies with my cookies now.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Faux Royal Icing

Marshmallow Fondant