Turkey Sugar Cookies

Here are my finished turkey cookies. I used the brushed embroidery technique to add the feather details. It took me a while to figure out a design that would add dimension to a pretty nondescript cookie cutter but it was worth the time and effort. I really like how these turkeys turned out.

Here's how to decorate them:

Flood the cookies with white royal icing and let it dry completely before moving onto the next step.

With black royal icing that is piping consistency, outline the tips of the feathers on the back of the turkey.

Use a damp brush to pull in the black icing. Be sure to wipe your brush off every now and then. Add grey feathers and use the brush to pull that icing in as well. Finally pipe white lines on top of the back feathers.

Keep working until all of your cookies are finished up to this point.

Add three rows of lower front feathers in black and gray and rows of top feathers in gray.

Add feet and a beak with orange royal icing that is piping consistency.

Outline the turkey's head and wattle with red royal icing and use a brush to pull it inward and fill in the outline. Be sure to leave an open spot for the eye. To give the eye a raised look, pipe a white dot and then pipe the black eye on top.