Easy Cookie Decoration Ideas!

Are you wanting to up your cookie game this Valentine’s Day (or any other day of the year, for that matter)? We’ve got just the tutorial for you! I’ve heard of royal icing before, but the only recipes I found used meringue powder and I could never find any in my local grocery store. We found a different way to get the same shiny shell effect – by using egg whites! The key is to keep mixing until stiff peaks form in the icing. Then color the icing as you see fit, and start with an outline around the cookie. Add a tablespoon of water to each color of icing to get the “flood icing,” and fill in the outlines! That in and of itself will make for one fantastic and professional looking cookie. But if you want to take things a step further – decorate while the icing is still wet. You can see all the different ways we twirled and swirled in the video below – hearts, tie-dye, chevron, and more!

Supplies:

– 1 teaspoon vanilla

– Sugar cookies

– Ziplock bags or frosting bags & tips

– Toothpicks

– Food coloring

– Water

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, eggs, and lemon juice in a bowl. Beat on medium for about 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form. This will be for outlining the cookies.

2. Separate icing into bowls, and mix in colors.

3. To make heart designs, first, outline your cookies in desired color by putting icing in a ziplock back and cutting of the corner to help with precision (or use icing bags with the smallest tip). Once completely done outlining all cookies, add a tiny bit of water to each color and mix to make the thinner, flood icing.

4. Using the same ziplock bags, add in the flood icing and spread across the cookies once the outline has dried. While still wet, add in second and third colors in dots, circles, or lines. Drag a toothpick through the dots to make hearts, and through the lines and circles to make a zig zag or tie dye pattern.

5. Let harden, then serve and enjoy!