Yes, that’s a real cookie. The cover story of this week’s Houston Press (and Dallas Observer) is about the Texas Cottage Food Law. Some of the people who would benefit from the passage of what’s being called “The Bake Sale Bill” are talented home cookie designers like Callye Alavarado who have been banned by local health departments from selling their cookies–or even giving them away at bake sales! Hence the frosted sugar cookie art.
The pastry chef who designed the cookie on the cover was Nuance Stone at Frosted Bakery in Houston.
The Dallas Observer version of the story is titled: Bake Sale Bandits.