Sugar Cookie Decorating 101

This is a tutorial for how I apply icing to sugar cookies.  If you have any questions along the way please feel free to leave a comment or email me!

To make my special version of royal icing, these are the ingredients I use.  (click the link for full recipe)

1 cup powder sugar (confectioners sugar)

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 drop lemon juice (can be fresh)

This will outline and fill approximately one dozen cookies in one color.

(In the tutorial below, I will be making the recipe twice, or enough for two dozen)

And here are the supplies.  You can find most of these at your grocery store, however the coupler set and disposable pastry bags can be found at Michaels and Walmart.

Place one cup of powder sugar in sifter.  Try not to skip this step!  Lumps in icing are hard to fix.

Add one tablespoon milk, one tablespoon corn syrup, and one drop lemon juice.

Mix everything together.  This looks pretty dry still, so I am going to add a little more milk, about a teaspoon at a time.

Much better.  Still pretty think but perfect for outlining.

Now remember these guys?  You want to take the large piece in the coupler set and insert it into the bag.  Really get it as far into the tip of the bag as you can without stretching the bag.

Place bag into a tall glass.

Pour icing into bag.  When it is filled about half way just give your bag a twist, then put a rubber band on it so no icing can spill out the end.

Now put this bowl in the sink and rinse it out!  Dried icing is a PAIN to clean up. :)

Next we are going to cut off the tip of the bag.  Just cut straight across.

Place your decorating tip on bag, then place the ring of the coupler set on top of the decorating tip.  Tightly screw it on and you are all set!

 

Before you start icing your cookie, just get a piece of wax paper or use a cookie sheet and practice using your icing bag.  Practice making lines... dots... learning the texture and consistency of your icing and how it looks. 

Then just start at any corner, apply light pressure to the bag, and begin slowly moving your tip down the side of your cookie.

(sorry about the poor quality of these shots... it was REALLY hard to take a picture while icing!)

Its ok to have a little slack in your line... let the icing flow a bit!

Just make your way around the cookie.  If you make a wobbly line or have a 'break' in the line just wipe off the cookies and start over.  Easy!

Next you are going to want to 'spill' or 'flood' your cookie.  So I made another batch of icing, the same way as before, only this time I added more milk to get a runnier consistency.

Once combined, run your spoon along the bottom of the bowl.  You will want to be able to see the bottom of the bowl for at least a few seconds.  If ten seconds pass and you can still see the bottom of the bowl you will need to add a little more milk.

Now grab another bag.  Since I am just using this icing to flood the cookies, I am not going to use a coupler or decorating tip. 

Just fill up the bag, twist it, and wrap a rubber band around the top.  Then cut off the tip.

When I flood I generally run a ribbon of icing around the edges then fill in the center a bit.  If you flood your cookie completely, as in, have no dry space, there will be too much icing and it will overflow.

Now we will go back in and smooth everything out.

Just grab a toothpick and start moving the icing into the corners.  Make sure you cover all the dry cookie!

There will most likely be bubbles.  Its a good idea to get rid of them if you can!

Just use your toothpick as a spear an pop them. There!  All gone.

And here is the 'finished' cookie.  I have finished in quotations, because now is when I normally start decorating! 

Hope that answers any questions you may have about icing... if you do have more though, feel free to check out these tutorials by some VERY talented ladies!

Bridget at Bake at 350

Marion at Sweetopia

These ladies are genius at what they do! (and therefore have much better tutorials!)

Comments

[Megan]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! This was just intime for me to do my son's bday party cookies tonight! :) I made your icing last week from the recipe you had up, but the detail helps me out a million times more! I LOVE your blog! I will show you the cookies when im all through!

[Mandi]

Dude. this is amazingly helpful!!! Thank you!

[Kari]

THANK YOU! I just finished baking sugar cookies... decorating tomorrow. I'll try out your tips and let you know how it goes. :)

[Alicia]

I really enjoyed this tutorial! I need to make a stop at Michael's or WalMart for those little gadgets!!

Thank you so much!

[Sarah]

Great post! Lovely tutorial!

[janis]

That seems like an awful lot of work for one little cookie! :) lol Was thinking of making Sugar cookies for Valentine's Day today - may have to try your method - we will see how ambitious I am feeling! :) lol

Have a great day!

[Allison]

Thank you thank you! A great tutorial especially for a beginner like me. :)

[Katie]

It's great to see a recipe that doesn't use meringue powder or egg whites. Sometimes I'd like to make cookies but am out of meringue powder and it's hard to come by around here!

[bridget {bake at 350}]

Great tutorial! Someday, I am going to try this icing! It is so pretty and shiny! :)

Thanks for the link, too!!! ♥

[Katy]

I made your cookies last night for a valentine's party at my son's daycare. First off they are delicious. I started decorating all of the cookies after spilling the royal icing. But quickly lost patience with that...it's a lot of work. I think I had my decorating batch a little to thin because it wasn't working so well. But he ended up with heart shaped cookies covered in pink, red, or white icing. However, I look forward to playing around so more next time...when it's not so late. Your cookies are beautiful and inspiring. Sorry about the long post.

[Kim S]

Amanda, Thank you for saving the day. Now if I can only follow the directions correctly, Valentine's Day may have cute cookies yet ;) ~Kim

[Jessica @ How Sweet It Is]

Amanda!!! I have NEVER iced cookies. This is an awesome tutorial. Thanks!

[AllisonO]

Hi, I would like to be a broken record and say: "THANK YOU."

I so want to try this. Maybe someday when I have 2 hands again?

[Mary]

I love this! I need help in this area and your tips looks awesome -- of course :)

[Casey]

Oh please tell me you didn't wash the icing out of that bowl!! Please tell me you cleaned the bowl with your finger first!! Umm... not that I would know anything about that. Cause I would neeeeevvveeeerrrr do something like that.

Lovely tutorial. Now if I could just get someone to make me some... *ahem, cough cough*

[Lorie]

I can't even tell you how excited I am every time I get an email saying there is an update on your blog! I love EVERYTHING you post!!!

I love the flooding method for decorating cookies, but your frosting recipe looks like it works better than my own. I am going to have to give it a try!

[Rachelle]

Great tutorial! I used your sugar cookie recipe for Valentine cut outs for my daughters class, they came out great!

http://ldylvbgr.blogspot.com/2010/02/decorator-sugar-cookies.html

[Cindy]

Great tutorial!!

[Jana]

Oh wow. Now I think I can try this and not be so intimidated by your wonderful creations. I *think* I can do this. Don't have the tools on hand or else I'd do this for an open house on Sunday. :(

[abby]

Yeah! I was just popping over to write down your recipe (AGAIN) because I'm about to make some Valentine's cookies...your tutorial is perfect timing! Thanks!

[Janet Hanson]

Yay, great tutorial! I think I might try to make cookies for a wedding shower next month...I've been elected to help with the food :) I used your method to make Halloween cookies, so maybe it will be a little easier this time around. And if they aren't as beautiful as yours, then I'll just have to eat them here at home!

[Ashley]

THis is exactly what I needed!!! Thanks so much!

[Rachel Watters]

Wow. Seeing this tutorial makes me appreciate even more the beautiful pictures I've seen of your other finished cookies. You do this process for all of them! That's amazing. Especially the toothpick part.

Thanks for sharing!

[JP'sMOM]

I am cracking up because I made your cookies and icing today and I saw that there was an update, but didn't have time to read it. Wishing I had read it first!

But my family enjoyed the finished product. I love this tutorial, it really cleared up a few of the questions I had this evening making your cookies.

Thanks again!

[Suzanne]

Your cookies and icing are beautiful!
I was wondering what is the consistency used for decorating on top of the flooded icing? Not even sure if I asked that question correctly??
Blessings,
Suzanne :)

[Hannah]

You must have the patience of a saint! Not sure I could manage a whole batch of these without tearing my hair out lol.
Very helpful tips though, thanks for sharing.

[Christina]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

[Taiya]

I just have to say, again, that you rock. I am not doing this, but I made one heart cake last night and how you came up with it I'll never know! I would have given up. I did it after some mistakes, and I THINK that it turned out great, but I would have never done it without your specific step by step instructions!

I don't think I am going to make the second, because I am almost out of red velvet crumbles... :) So I might try a rainbow cake for my daughter's cake, or just color the french vanilla cakes pink, purple, and red. :) Thanks for the tutorial, though. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but it definitely made it manageable!

[CJ]

Thanks for the step by step. I have been studying all the tutorials on this online as I can find. I am 'almost' ready to give it a try. Any tips on drying time between steps?? I have never used royal icing or icing with the corn syrup. Would they ship okay??

[Amy]

Thank you!!! I am trying this recipe either tonight or tomorrow!!! I can't wait!

[Amanda Rettke]

If you use my recipe, you can decorate in a matter of minutes... if you use traditional royal icing, I think you need to wait at least an hour.

Good luck!! :)

[Stephanie]

GREAT tutorial! I do a lot of baking and decorating, and this had lots of useful tips I never thought of. Thanks!

[Jennie]

Thank you!!!!!! You're amazing. :)

[Kristin Kunoff]

Thanks for showing how you ice cookies and thanks for praying for my brother=)

[ali]

Great tutorial, though I'm not usually patient enough to do any detailed frosting of cookies! I'm usually more of a plop the dough on a pan, bake, and eat kind of cookie baker, lol!

[grace]

i have neither the patience nor fortitude to take on an endeavor like this...yet. this'll be handy to have if and when i develop those attributes. :)
meanwhile, are you a lefty or are you just depicting that because you're snapping pictures with your right hand? just curious. :)

[Amanda Rettke]

Ha! I AM a lefty... how astute of you!!

[Kelly]

This was an absolutely awesome tutorial and just in the nick of time! I kid you not...I was just popping over to your site to get some inspiration for some sugar cookies I JUST baked (and am still baking as I type this) when I saw this lil' tutorial about how to ice them!!!! YAY! I was heading into ice these cookies and doing it for the first time with the royal icing and 'spill' method. Now I am positive I can do it! Okay...here I go...just took the last batch out of the oven. Wish me luck!
I just love both of your blogs!!! Thanks!

[Kelly]

Oh ya...one question before I go...
How long does it take for the iced cookie to be dry enough to add the rest of the decorations?

[Erin]

So helpful! Thank you!!!

[Taz]

Wow, thanks for this. I'm not usually patient enough to ice things but I gave it ago today. I think I'll be doing it more in future!

[Alisha]

I like your icing recipe so much better than those that use meringue powder. Who wants a cookie that doesn't taste good?!

[Amy]

THANK YOU sooooooo much!!!!! I just finished making this and decorating some cookies! Of course I didn't make enough so I'll be making more later, LOL! This tastes PHENOMENAL - so much better than the meringue powder recipes, and of course now I don't have to spend so much on that! YAYAYAYAYAY!!! I will post a link to some pics later. Ummm, did I say thank you? Oh!! I also put the icing bags into a glass to fill them for the first time. That is HUGE! Such a big help!

[manda]

Whooey! Awesome post. And very handy indeed. I had been looking for a great cookie recipe and your posts have been timely and very much appreciated.

We're having our daughters 3rd birthday Thursday. So out I went today to gather the things I needed. I forgot the lemon juice. Crud! hehe out goes the hubby to get it. BUT ... I could not for the life of me find LIGHT corn syrup anywhere. I was able to get just corn syrup, which sadly looks nothing like your nice clear syrup. Mine is all brown and hehe syrupy.

Will the "brown" corn syrup not work for your icing recipe? I mean, if you had to guess (not sure if you've ever been stuck with just brown too :/)

If I have have HAVE to scour the twin cities to find light corn syrup hehe and call it a lesson learned I suppose, but I just wanted to ask first :)

[gaga]

Wow, you make it look so easy. I definitely need more practice, but this guide will definitely help. Thanks!

[Amy]

Thank you again Amanda!! Here are some pics of the cookies I made today after trying your icing recipe for the first time! All of your incredible cookies inspire me to keep practicing!
http://amylynnbakes.blogspot.com/2010/02/hearts.html

[manda]

I FOUND IT! It being "light" corn syrup. hehe the other regular stuff, well that will just have to sit there all left out of the fun. So, made some cookies. Looked everywhere for a castle cookie cutter and could not find one. I improvised, and just freehanded one into the dough, then cut in little hearts and layered on top of the castles for doors. Baked. SO CUTE!

The icing part. Not nearly as pretty as yours (my icing ran over the sides on some. Oops!) But thats okay. Still have lots of dough to bake and tons of everything needed for the icing. So tomorrow, maybe some prettier castles.

In the meantime, I came to thank you very much for your help.

Really appreciate it.

[Erin]

Hi! I printed out your tutorial and made an attempt to frost some cookies. I definitely need more practice! I do have to tell you: I threw away what was left of my "Just Whites" powder. Your recipe is much easier, tastes MUCH better and dries beautifully. Thanks again!

[gaia]

It has been a pleasure talking about you in my Vday post... I'm fascinated form people like you! Thanks for your tips on how to decorate cookies? the pics are fantastic and so helpful! I won't make any mistake (or I'll try!)!

[Debra]

Found your blog from MckMama and was so enamored of your fun that I added you to my blog roll! I have three daughters and do cake decorating myself. I have dabbled in cookies and they have come out adorable, too. But, you've inspired me to do more! Thanks ... love the cookies!