The Best Cookie Decorating Tips for Beginners
Implementing these cookie decorating tips for beginners is best for improving the presentation of your cookies. As a home baker, I am accustomed to making cookies. Sometimes I make a batch of cookies that are so good that I receive a request for more. Have you mastered baking cookies with excellent texture and flavor? If you answered yes, chances are that it’s time to start decorating cookies.
How to Practice Cookie Decorating
There’s no experience quite like cookie decorating, especially for beginners. Decorating cookies is unfamiliar territory for a novice. It can feel overwhelming when you first start decorating. There is a learning curve, but don’t let that discourage you.
When it comes to decorative cookies, an easy place to start is with a chocolate dip. Cookies dipped in dark chocolate are elegant and delicious. Try making a cookie recipe with rich cocoa or chopped strawberries. Both ingredients make a delightful pairing.
Not a fan of dark chocolate?
Cookies dipped in white chocolate may be the right fit for your palate.
As it turns out, decorating these cookies is not as difficult as it sounds. For best results, I recommend bars of baking chocolate. Baking chocolate melts well, which makes it a perfect fit.
With a chef’s knife, chop the chocolate. Transfer the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals to prevent scorching. Stir the chocolate with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds until completely melted. Dip half of the cookie into the chocolate. Place each cookie onto a cooling rack.
These cookies may become a family favorite or the perfect treat for your Valentine.
Another decorating technique involves decorating with frosting. Buttercream frosting isn’t just for cakes! It’s a versatile topping that works best with cakey cookies. Cookie decorating for beginners is made easy with simple drop cookies. Drop cookies have a surface that’s perfect for decorating with frosting.
I don’t recommend starting with a royal icing recipe. Piping with royal icing can be a royal pain if you’re unfamiliar with it! Royal icing techniques require an understanding of icing consistencies.
Instead, decorate with frosting. The frosting is much more forgiving than royal icing.
Beginner Cookie Designs
Ready to work on your decorating skills? Start practicing with a classic swirl.
Don’t have piping bags?
Fill a Ziplock bag with frosting, twist the top, and cut the bottom edge. Practice piping the swirl on a sheet of parchment paper. This is a game-changer! If you mess up, keep trying until you gain confidence. After you get comfortable with decorating, it’s time to decorate cookies.
I recommend decorating jumbo cookies. By far, jumbo cookies are the best cookies to decorate. They have a thicker texture and are much bigger than a standard cookie. After your cookies cool down, pipe a swirl of frosting using a large round tip. Top them off with sprinkles for a finishing touch. This is how you decorate cookies with frosting and sprinkles.
The size of the piping tips needed for cookie decorating depends on how you’re going to design them. Piping with a larger piping tip is ideal. When working with royal icing a small round decorating tip works best for outlines.
One of the most popular cookies to decorate are sugar cookies. The best tip for a novice decorating sugar cookies is to take a simplified approach. Due to its thicker consistency, buttercream frosting gives you more control over your design. It eliminates the need to focus on having the right royal icing consistency.
Piping with buttercream is the easiest way to decorate sugar cookies. Most importantly, you won’t run the risk of overflowing icing.
Practicing these techniques allows you to become familiar with the process. As a result, you’ll get better at cookie decorating over time.
Best Cookies for Decorating
Prepare to try these decorating ideas after you search for the right recipe. Start with a good cookie recipe with simple instructions. I like to scan the ingredient list to see if a shopping trip is necessary.
Baking sugar cookies requires a few additional steps. Good sugar cookies are made with chilled dough rolled onto a floured surface. If you’ve never made sugar cookies before prepare to devour light cookies that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Cut-out sugar cookies are a great starting point. To achieve success in cookie decorating as a beginner, it’s important to approach it with the right mindset and techniques. Traditionally, sugar cookies rely on cookie cutters to form fun shapes. While any baker can make a classic sugar cookie, it’s up to you to put your spin on it.
Can’t find the cookie cutter you want?
Most craft stores sell cookie cutters individually for an affordable price. I have found cookie cutters for only a dollar!
Simple Glaze Icing for Cookies
Flavored with lemon juice, oat milk, and everything in between – glaze icing is effortless. Glaze icing is best for decorating cookies. Its thick consistency is easy to work with. Eventually, the icing hardens. The icing won’t smear, which is a bonus. However, it’s best to refrigerate glazed cookies in the summer. Those cookies don’t stand a chance against 110 °F weather.
After you finish baking try these cookie decorating ideas. You can opt for an icing recipe, but making a glaze is simple. All you need is powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of liquid.
If you love cookies with bright citrus flavor add freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to your powdered sugar. I find mixing it with a spoon results in a smoother glaze. The acid from the citrus is incredibly refreshing. Sugar and lemon make an excellent pairing. Of course, you can emphasize that deliciously sweet flavor by mixing in whole milk or plant-based milk.
If you’re aiming for precision, use icing recipes that complement the flavor profile of your cookies. These recipes are straightforward and beginner-friendly. Though, a recipe is not a necessity in this instance. To make a glaze icing pour a cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl. Start with one tablespoon of liquid then mix. Add another tablespoon if the consistency is too thick. Repeat until you reach the desired consistency.
There are a lot of concerns about artificial dyes and for good reason. I decorate with these sprinkles made without artificial dyes or ingredients. Not only does it make your desserts look beautiful, but it also tastes MUCH better. There’s no plastic-like aftertaste. In retrospect, there’s nothing I hate more than ruining a perfectly good dessert with the medicinal aftertaste of overly processed sprinkles!
Favorite Decorating Tools for Cookies
Since selecting the right decorating tools depends heavily on preference, here are a few of my favorites. For a time, I would frost my cookies with a small offset spatula and call it a day. Until I thought to myself: “What if I wanted to give these to my friends? What happens when I invite people over to enjoy delicious, yet ugly cookies?” It’s a silly thought, but it stems from the truth.
People eat with their eyes. When you present sloppy food at a dinner party no one is going to WANT to eat it. They’ll politely nibble on a few bits and pieces. Then drive to the nearest drive-thru on their way home.
For this reason, these tools will soon become your new best friends.
More Options for Decorating Tools
If you’re looking for a multi-purpose decorating tool that creates tons of designs grab this decorating kit. This is the decorating kit I used when I first started cake decorating. Here’s the best part – it works for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies! I still use it up to this day. Cookie decorating for beginners is so much easier if you start with this kit.
If you do want to buy a few tools for cookie decorating, I recommend buying sprinkles. Often, sprinkles have the power to complete a theme. Whether it’s hearts for Valentine’s Day or pearls for weddings, odds are you’ll find sprinkles for any occasion.
I also suggest Ghirardelli premium baking bars for melting chocolate. I’ve had a great experience baking with the semi-sweet baking chocolate. It’s easy to work with. Melting the chocolate creates a silky, smooth texture perfect for drizzling over a chewy bakery-style cookie.
Serve your decorated cookies with a side of your favorite ice cream. Likewise, snacking on homemade cookies with a cold glass of milk is just as satisfying.
How to Store Decorated Cookies
After baking a batch of cookies it’s common to have leftovers. We don’t want all our efforts to go to waste, so proper storage is essential!
Cookies topped with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated. Cream cheese needs time and temperature control to prevent rapid bacteria growth. For best results, always refrigerate desserts made with cream cheese.
Store cookies in an airtight container. The duration of time you can safely store cookies depends on the recipe. The ingredients and the type of cookies you bake are factors that determine how long you can store them.
After taking notes on these awesome tips, you know what it takes to start decorating cookies. Plus, you know how to make easy sugar cookies by opting for drop cookies that are thicker and softer. Take advantage of the techniques that you learned today to help you decorate cookies like a pro.
See?
Cookie decorating for beginners is fun and delightfully sweet.
