Methods to Enhance Sugar Cookies (4 Methods + Video)

Right here I’m demonstrating how one can adorn sugar cookies. I’ll stroll you thru 4 easy and approachable strategies which can be a fantastic place to begin when you’re new to cookie adorning. For those who’re intimidated or nervous about making royal icing and attempting your hand at creating festively adorned cookies, this put up and video tutorial are for you.

Whereas I really like a great baking problem, in terms of adorning baked items, I prefer to preserve issues easy. Very like the Piping Ideas 101 tutorial I did for five fundamental (but lovely) methods to pipe frosting onto cupcakes, consider this as your Sugar Cookie Adorning 101 course.

Use These Adorning Methods on Any Reduce-Out Cookies

The cookies you see listed here are my traditional sugar cookies. These cookies, with their irresistible buttery vanilla taste and delicate, thick facilities, are an exquisite base for adorning with icing. They maintain their form when baking and have a flat floor that’s good for adorning.

These cookie adorning strategies can all be used on different sorts of cut-out cookies, too:

Now Let’s Discuss About Royal Icing

I’ve a separate put up all about royal icing with plenty of recommendations on how one can make it, however I’ve additionally included a printable recipe card under. Royal icing is my most popular sugar cookie icing as a result of it’s simple to work with, dries inside 1–2 hours, and doesn’t harden into cement (it’s on the softer facet!).

I particularly love this specific royal icing as a result of you should use it for each outlining and flooding your cookies.

It’s made with meringue powder, which takes the place of the uncooked egg whites present in conventional royal icing recipes. Yow will discover meringue powder in some baking aisles, most craft shops with a baking part, and on-line; one container ought to final you a very long time.

Royal Icing Different: Glaze Icing

For those who’d favor to go together with one thing that’s somewhat simpler to make, strive my simple cookie icing. This opaque glaze-like icing doesn’t set/dry as shortly as royal icing (it takes about 24 hours) and it’s not best for piping sharp element. That being mentioned, typically it’s simply the extra handy choice!

Tint the Icing and Fill Your Piping Luggage

You may preserve the icing white or tint the icing with gel meals coloring. To paint it, divide it into small bowls. Add gel meals coloring to every bowl and blend effectively.

Seize a piping bag for every shade of icing. Match every with a coupler and piping tip. I usually use Wilton piping tip #4 for each outlining and flooding the cookie with icing. This can be a fantastic fundamental piping tip to have in your assortment. Once I’m utilizing a number of colours with the identical piping tip, I at all times use couplers. This makes it simple to swap piping suggestions among the many totally different coloured luggage of icing. Spoon the icing into the piping bag.

• Clips: I take advantage of these clips to safe the tip of the piping bag, so the icing doesn’t leak out the tip of the bag.

Now let me present you how one can adorn sugar cookies with 4 easy strategies.

1. Flooding Icing: Piping a Single Layer of Icing

Let’s begin with probably the most fundamental method: adorning with a single layer of icing.

First, pipe a top level view throughout your cookie. Then fill within the heart of the define—that is known as “flooding.” Go forward and add some sprinkles whereas the icing remains to be moist, as pictured on the snowflake- and sweet cane-shaped cookies under.

2. Piping Two Layers of Royal Icing

The subsequent methodology is a double layer of icing, which suggests you pipe and flood the cookies and let that layer of icing set, after which return later to pipe some particulars on high. Polka dots, stripes, swirls, or writing will stand out fantastically with this methodology. You may swap icing colours and/or piping suggestions for a finer element.

Begin by piping and flooding the cookie with a layer of icing, identical to we did earlier than. Let that set for 1–2 hours, after which you’ll be able to pipe on a second layer of icing particulars as soon as the primary layer has dried. Once more, you’ll be able to pace up the drying time by inserting the iced cookies within the fridge.

So as to add some swirls on high of the pictured coronary heart cookies, I switched piping suggestions from the Wilton #4 to the smaller Wilton #2. A smaller tip will pipe a extra outlined and detailed design.

3. Methods to Pipe Icing in Outlined Sections

I really like this look, as a result of in case you are solely utilizing one shade, it offers the icing some dimension. And when you’re utilizing a number of colours, this methodology retains the colours from bleeding collectively.

Begin with one shade, and pipe each different part or space of your cookie, then let it set earlier than you pipe the remaining sections/areas. For the pumpkin cookies, I define and flood the middle, after which the 2 sides, leaving house between every part. Let the icing dry for no less than half-hour.

As soon as the icing is semi-set, you’ll be able to go forward and fill the remaining sections with icing.

This “outlined sections” methodology takes somewhat extra time, however when you’re adorning a number of cookies, chances are you’ll discover that by the point you end piping the primary sections on all of the cookies, the icing can have set sufficient to begin piping on the remaining sections.

4. Piping in Sections + Sprinkle Dip

This method offers the cookie that very same sectioned look as above, however you don’t have to attend half-hour for the primary part to set.

Begin by piping on the part you need to cowl with sprinkles or glowing sugar. Dip the cookie into the sprinkles, in order that they utterly coat the icing. Then pipe in your remaining sections. Once more, you’ll be able to swap colours right here when you’d like, and also you don’t have to fret in regards to the colours bleeding collectively as a result of the primary shade was lined in sprinkles.

For the flower cookies under, I used a mixture of each strategies #3 and #4: I piped the circle within the heart first, after which dipped it in sprinkles. Then I piped on each different petal, and let these set earlier than going again and piping on the remaining petals.

Ensure to look at the video tutorial under to see me reveal all of those strategies. I hope this put up and video helps you overcome any fears you will have about cookie adorning, as a result of even easy strategies could make for lovely cookies. Simply take your time and have enjoyable with it!

Now you’re able to host a Cookie Adorning Day! 😉

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4 Simple Methods to Enhance Sugar Cookies

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  Writer: Sally
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  Prep Time: 5 minutes
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  Cook dinner Time: 0 minutes
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  Complete Time: 5 minutes
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  Yield: 3 cups for two dozen cookies
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  Class: Dessert
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

Right here is my traditional simple royal icing made with meringue powder, plus numerous methods to make use of it for adorning cookies. You should utilize this conventional royal icing for each flooding and outlining your cookies. Ensure to look at the video tutorial under to see me reveal the adorning strategies.

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Directions

1. Have your sugar cookies baked and cooled. You may use this recipe, or your favourite recipe for sugar cookies. This icing is sufficient to ice 2 dozen cookies.
2. Make the Icing: Pour sifted confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and 9 Tablespoons of water into a big bowl. Utilizing a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat icing substances collectively on excessive pace for 1.5–2 minutes. When lifting the whisk up off the icing, the icing ought to drizzle down and easy out inside 5–10 seconds. If it’s too thick, beat in additional water 1 Tablespoon at a time. I normally want 10 Tablespoons, however on notably dry days, I take advantage of as much as 12–14 Tablespoons. Understand that the longer you beat the royal icing, the thicker it turns into. In case your royal icing is simply too skinny, simply preserve beating it to introduce extra air, OR you’ll be able to add extra sifted confectioners’ sugar. See this video when you want a visible.
3. Shade the Icing: For those who’d prefer to tint the icing, divide it into separate bowls for every shade, or tint your entire batch one shade. A bit of gel meals coloring goes a good distance, so use a toothpick to dot the gel into the icing. Stir it in, after which add extra to deepen the colour if desired. Understand that the extra you stir, the thicker the icing turns into. If wanted, stir in a couple of drops of water to keep up the goal consistency.
4. Fill the Pastry Bag: Match a pastry bag with a small spherical piping tip (and use a coupler when you plan to change icing colours and/or piping suggestions), corresponding to Wilton piping tip #4. Fill the bag with icing, ensuring to depart a couple of inches of house on the high of the bag. Twist to seal or use a clip.
5. Enhance Your Cookies:
   1. Simple Flooding: Utilizing a small spherical piping tip corresponding to Wilton piping tip #4, pipe a top level view of icing throughout your cookie. Then fill within the heart of the define with extra icing. If desired, you’ll be able to add some sprinkles whereas the icing remains to be moist.
   2. Two Layers of Icing: Begin by piping and flooding the cookie with a layer of icing, simply as described above. Let that set for 1–2 hours, after which pipe on a second layer of icing particulars as soon as the primary layer has dried, corresponding to swirls, handwriting, dots, and different designs. A smaller piping tip, corresponding to Wilton piping tip #2, is right for intricate designs/particulars. Let the icing set once more earlier than you stack and retailer the cookies.
   3. Piping Outlined Sections: This look offers the icing ornament some dimension. Additionally, when you’re utilizing a number of colours, this methodology retains the colours from bleeding collectively. Begin with one shade, and utilizing Wilton piping tip #4, pipe each different part or space of your cookie, then let it set earlier than you pipe the remaining sections/areas. For the pictured pumpkin and tree cookies, I define and flood the middle, after which the 2 sides, leaving house between every part. Let the icing dry for no less than half-hour, till the icing has begun to set. As soon as the icing is semi-set, you’ll be able to go forward and fill the remaining sections with icing.
   4. Piping Outlined Sections + Sprinkles: This method offers the cookie that very same sectioned look as #3, however you don’t have to attend half-hour for the primary part to set. Utilizing Wilton piping tip #4, begin by piping on the part you need to cowl with sprinkles or glowing sugar. Dip the cookie into the sprinkles, in order that they utterly coat the icing. Then pipe in your remaining sections.
6. Let the Icing Set: When utilized to cookies in a skinny layer, royal icing utterly dries in about 2 hours at room temperature. If icing consistency is simply too skinny and runny, it is going to take longer to dry. If the icing is utilized very thick on cookies, it is going to additionally take longer to dry. For those who’re layering royal icing onto cookies for particular designs and wish it to set shortly, place cookies within the fridge to assist pace it up.

Notes

1. Make Forward Directions: You may put together this royal icing 2–3 days forward of time. I like to recommend transferring it to a smaller bowl or container and tightly sealing for as much as 3 days within the fridge. Whenever you’re prepared to make use of it, let it come to room temperature, then combine it with a whisk a couple of occasions, as it might have separated. If it thickened, whisk in a couple of drops of water.
2. Freezing Directions: Any leftover royal icing may be frozen for as much as 2 months. Place leftover royal icing into zip-top freezer luggage. When you’ve got greater than 1 shade, every shade must be in its personal bag. Earlier than sealing, squeeze as a lot air out of the bag as attainable. Freeze on a flat shelf floor in your freezer. Thaw in a single day within the fridge and convey to room temperature earlier than utilizing once more.
3. Freezing Embellished Cookies: Embellished sugar cookies freeze effectively for as much as 3 months. Look ahead to the icing to set utterly earlier than layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Thaw within the fridge or at room temperature. 
4. Hold Royal Icing Moist: Whenever you’re not working instantly with the royal icing (for instance, you’re adorning cookies however you continue to have some icing left within the bowl that you simply intend to make use of subsequent), place a humid paper towel instantly on the floor of the royal icing. This prevents it from hardening.
5. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Meringue Powder | Gel Meals Coloring | Disposable or Reusable Piping Luggage | Bag Clips or Ties | Couplers | Wilton Piping Tip #4 | Wilton Piping Tip #2
6. Elective Flavors: Be at liberty so as to add 1/2 teaspoon of your favourite flavored extract, corresponding to lemon, orange, maple, peppermint, and so forth. whenever you add the water. Style after the icing comes collectively, then beat in additional if desired. You can too use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.