10 Tips for Taking Your Cookie Decorating Skills to the Next Level

Men and women may want to try their hand at cookie decorating. They see amazing designs and would like to recreate them in the comfort of their own home. Although there will be some trial and error needed on the part of the baker, certain mistakes tend to be made by those who are new to this activity. The following information helps new bakers avoid these mistakes.

You Can Never Have Too Much Icing

Make more royal icing for decorating cookies than will be needed. Although it may appear to be a waste, a person finds they can never get the color just right if they have to make a second batch of icing for cookies. The icing gets darker as it dries, and it will be obvious the icing came from different batches. This remains true even when both batches appear to be the same color.

Make the Dough Thick

A person might assume thin dough gives them more cookies. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Cookies that are too thin spread when baking. Their shape won’t hold, and they won’t have an even surface to decorate. Never roll the dough thinner than 1/8″ to avoid these issues. Strive for cookies with nice, sharp edges. On the other hand, if the cookies are too thick, they lose the snap in the bite and the texture ends up less than desirable. For this reason, a person should never make cutout cookies more than 3/16″ thick.

Freeze the Dough

Always throw the cutout cookies in the freezer for five minutes before putting them in the oven. This simple step helps the cookies hold their shape as they cook rather than spreading. Furthermore, use a cookie recipe that calls for more flour. The added flour helps to stop the spread, which is what everyone wants.

Try Freeform Shapes

When making cookies, don’t assume cookie cutters have to be used for every cookie. Experiment with free-form shapes along with cookies that come from a pre-purchased cutter. Another option involves turning the cookie-cutter 1/4 turn and decorate the finished product in that orientation. This allows you to make some amazing cookies that truly stand out in the crowd. Other options include making cookie stencils. When you can’t find the perfect cookie cutter for your needs, this serves as an option, and it is only one of several.

Don’t Mix Consistencies

Individuals new to cookie decorating often mix icing consistencies. For instance, they use piping icing and flood icing when putting a base coat on the cookies. They discover they cannot get a seamless border around the flood icing and decide to give up and purchase cookies instead. There’s no need to do this, as a stiffer consistency icing covers the entire cookie without difficulty. There’s no need for two different types when this method is used.

Stop Bleeding in Its Tracks

Royal icing transfers involve piping a design onto parchment paper where it is allowed to dry. Once the drying process is complete, the baker then transfers this design to the cookies. New bakers often drop this transfer onto royal icing that is still wet. Doing so when using a light color over a dark color leads to the transfer soaking up the darker color. There’s an easy way to avoid this problem. Use white royal icing to attach the transfer to the dried royal icing. By doing it this way, the baker can avoid bleeding and have a cookie with a crisp, clear design.

Stamp the Cookies

Bakers find they can stamp their cookies using one of two methods. The first method involves stamping the dough before the cookies are baked. Bakers who choose the second option stamp a design on royal icing that has been allowed to dry. They use clean, food-only stamps and food coloring for this purpose. Regardless of which method a person selects, the cookies have added flair and the baker didn’t spend countless hours making them.

Skip the Fancy Projector

Some people invest in a projector to transfer designs to their cookies. The Kopykake is a good example of these projects, but they cost hundreds of dollars. A person might not want to spend this money on their hobby. Fortunately, they don’t have to. Royal icing transfers provide similar results and will work for most cookies. Cookie designs with small details might require this investment, and some designs aren’t appropriate for royal icing. To work around these issues, a person can use tissue paper, an edible pin, and a small needle or pushpin to transfer the design to the cookie and produce amazing creations.

Buy Edible Food Markers

Bakers often invest in edible food markers so they can outline a design on a cookie before filling it in with icing. This option works for all designs, including those with small details. Start by purchasing black markers—one with a fine tip and another with a thick tip. Experiment with these markers before purchasing more. If you find this method allows you to create cookies that everyone loves, you’ll want to pick up other colors right away.

Find Inspiration in the World Around You

People can find inspiration for new cookie designs everywhere they look. The world is full of amazing things, and any design can be transferred to a cookie with a little time and effort. Don’t turn to the internet to copy what others have done. Find the beauty in your surroundings and share it with others through the cookies you create. Make a binder of designs you would like to try in the future. The biggest problem you will encounter when you do so is finding the time to make every design you wish to try.

If you have yet to try your hand at decorating cookies, hopefully, you are now inspired to do so. With a little practice, any person will find they can create cookies that are a beauty to behold. In fact, a person may be hesitant to eat the cookie because it is breathtaking. Tell them to eat it. More can always be made, and the baker will enjoy eating any mistakes that aren’t suitable to share.