Cookie Decorating with Royal Icing

You've made those yummy sugar cookies using my Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe. You've made your icing using my Easy Royal Icing recipe. Now what? Prepare yourself for the best part. . .decorating sugar cookies!

It's time to decorate some royal icing cookies, y'all!

Here are some of my favorite tips for decorating sugar cookies with Royal icing:

1. Use a piping bag with a small (#2) Wilton piping tip for the piping icing. Remember, piping icing is a thicker icing. You can use anything you like for the flood icing. Some people using a piping bag with the end clipped off. I use a plastic squeeze bottle (see photo) or a tipless bag. Outline your cookie using the piping icing (or thicker flood icing) and flood the center with the flood icing. You can use a toothpick to "drag" your flood icing to the edges/corners. Here’s a picture of my setup. 
2. Create a clean/well prepped decorating station: I always have my piping bags, bottles, toothpicks, napkins, extra tips, etc. before I start decorating sugar cookies. I also use a Pampered Chef Cutting Pad (or waxed paper) on the countertop. 
3. After flooding your cookies, tap them gently to work out any air bubbles. You can also use toothpicks to pop any air bubbles. Do this right away. 
4. Speaking of toothpicks, keep several on hand. The piping tips often clog as you work. 
5. If you’re adding multiple colors to your cookies, let each color dry (with the fan blowing on them) and then add the next color. 
6. Let the cookies dry for five to seven hours before packaging. They could and should be left out in the open (not closed up or covered) during the drying process. Many people worry that the cookies will grow stale but the opposite occurs! The royal icing locks in the freshness of the cookie and it’s just as yummy hours later. 
7. Store these cookies tightly covered. They will last a week. Frozen, they will last a couple of months!

@janicehannathompson

Demonstrating the wet on wet royal icing technique at www.outoftheboxbaking.com. Check out the recipe for realizing in the link below. #ambaking #baking #outoftheboxbaking #cookies #cookiesoftiktok #royalicing #royalicingcookies

♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery - Dante9k Remix - David Snell

A Few of My Favorite Cookie Designs

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Here's another video of me showing another wet-on-wet technique.

Have fun with your own designs, folks! Maybe you'd like to try some of these...

Whether you're planning to do intricate designs or simple, you'll be set to go with my royal icing recipe. Just make sure the consistencies are correct.

And remember, you can always check out more pictures on my Holiday Sugar Cookies page.

By the way, I buy my cutters from Amazon and/or www.cheapcookiecutters.com. 

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What to Enjoy About Cookie Decorating with Royal Icing

• Beautiful, bakery-style results. With royal icing, you can create detailed, glossy designs that dry smooth and firm.
• Great for any skill level. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced decorator, royal icing is easy to learn and fun to work with.
• Perfect for holiday cookies. From Christmas trees to hearts to Easter eggs, this technique brings seasonal cookies to life.
• Custom colors and textures. Tint your icing, add shimmer, or create dimension with piping, flooding, and layering.
• Fun family activity. Great for kids and adults alike — especially during the holidays or themed baking days.
• Makes cookies gift-ready. Once dry, these cookies are perfect for packaging, gifting, or including in dessert trays.

Bake it, share it, pin it, love it!

A seasoned author and joyful baker, Janice finds joy in transforming simple ingredients into soul-satisfying treats. Her favorite recipes always come with a story — find those and more on her About page.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I make a very small commission off of items you purchase at absolutely no additional cost to you. Please check out my policy page for more information about this blog and the ads that run on it. 

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