Decorating Royal Icing Sugar Cookies

So what do you do with your Royal Icing now that it’s prepared?

Find instructions for decorating iced sugar cookies after the jump.
We left you off with pastry bags and squeeze bottles of icing. Here’s what you do:

First of all, this is how I hold the bag, with the rolled top towards my hand. This might look weird because I am left-handed. If you are right handed, hold the bag in your right hand please. snicker.
And don’t look at the state of my fingernails. I SAID DON’T LOOK!

Ok. Use your pastry bag to draw an outline all the way around the edge of your cookie. Keep it far enough from the edge that the icing won’t slide down the side. Keep your tip about 1/2 inch above the cookie and let the icing “fall” onto the cookie. It might take a little practice on wax paper to get the perfect speed and pressure.

For the record, this is the bottom of a cookie (I was out of blanks) but you should ice the TOPS of your cookies.

Complete the outlines of all of your cookies first so that the icing can harden slightly before the next step. By the time you finish outlining you should be ready to move on.

With the squeeze bottle (your flood icing) run icing all the way around the inside edge of your outline.

Fill the rest of the cookie with icing in a zig-zag motion leaving a bit of space in-between strokes. The icing should run into the bare spots.

Fill the rest of the spaces with icing or use the tip of the bottle to push the icing into the bare spots.

If you see any air-bubbles, now is the time to pop them with a toothpick. Once they have a chance to dry at all, popping the bubbles will leave an unsightly hole.

Now let them dry completely out on the counter overnight before moving on to decorate with more royal icing, sprinkles, colored sugar and sugar flowers (I made mine (learn how on our post DIY Royal Icing Flowers) but you can grab some at any craft store with a baking department or online.)

Once your cookies are complete and dry, store them in a tin separated by wax paper or in plastic bags tied up with a bow for sharing!

Here are a few more pics of this year’s Easter batch. If you make some cookies, send us pictures! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.


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19 Comments

Jacinda

Starr, you are a wise woman. These cookies are a "royal" ha! pain. If you are ever tempted to pay $5 for a pretty cookie at the bakery, do it, it's totally worth it.

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Julie

Those are lovely. I'm planning making some cookies with my kids tomorrow, but I highly doubt they will be photo-worthy.

And YAY for being left-handed!! I'm the sole 'lefty' in my house, so I'm always thrilled to know other southpaws. 🙂

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Charlene

So, do you have a killer recipe for sugar cookies? One that tastes good?

I went on line, found a recipe that somebody totally raved about (oh, made these for the last 20 years, restaurants bought from me, etc.) They were the nastiest tasting cookies ever. I decorated with royal frosting to give them some taste.

So, if I'm going to go to the trouble of outlining/flooding, I want a AWESOME TASTING sugar cookie recipe. 🙂

(Whew, I feel better now….)

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Rising Designs

Too pretty to eat!
Please save just one for your mama.
I don't care if I eat it three weeks from now.
Pretty Please.
Love, Mom
PS Love the colors.
PPS Any one will do!

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Holly

Ooh, aah! I keep trying to make cookies like these, but I am lacking in the squeeze bottle department. Where do you find squeeze bottles?

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Jaime

OMG OMG OMG I JUST OPENED A BOX THAT CAME IN THE MAIL AND THERE'S SOME OF THESE COOKIES IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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benz

hose are lovely. I'm planning making some cookies with my kids tomorrow, but I highly doubt they will be photo-worthy.Ooh, aah! I keep trying to make cookies like these, but I am lacking in the squeeze bottle department.
benz
Better Home

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Tina T

They look fantastic !! But, how do you bake the cookies so that they keep their shape and dont 'puff up' while they are baking ?
Thanks, Tina

Reply
Jacinda

Hi Tina-You should chill your cookies right before putting them in the oven, either 10 min in the freezer or 30 min in the fridge. Getting them in the oven cold will help them keep their shape! Good Luck!

Reply

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