Tracing Method For Decorated Cookies

I recently made this pretty batch of bee and butterfly cookies using the method of tracing a design onto an already filled and dried base cookie.

I used bee and butterfly cookie cutters as my guides for tracing but you are not limited to just cookie cutters for your design. You could make your own template by drawing or printing a design onto paper and then cutting it out. To trace the designs onto the base cookie,  I used a black food safe pen.

I love the double-decker effect his technique gives without using a second cookie. I also love that the tracing method means no special artistic ability is needed to pull this off.

Here's how I made them:

Bake a batch of base cookies that are large enough for your design. Outline a cookie using a #2 pastry tip and flood consistency royal icing.

Using the same icing immediately fill in the cookie and use a scribe tool or skewer to move the icing to fill in the gaps.

Let the cookies dry completely before moving onto the next step. This takes about 8 hours.

Place your cookie cutter or paper template onto the cookie. Outline the design with a food safe pen.

I added butterfly and bee designs.

For the butterfly, outline the design with medium consistency black royal icing and a #1 tip.

Using the same icing, outline the body of the butterfly.

Fill the inside of the body with icing and also add lines to divide the wings.

Set this aside to dry for at least 30 minutes.

Keep working until all the cookies are completed up to this point.

Fill the bottom wings with flood consistency royal icing using a #1 tip. I use the small tip because I am filling compact areas and want to have good control of the icing.

Using the same outlining black icing, add two lines on each bottom wing.

Use a skewer or scribe tool to draw through the lines toward the center of the butterfly.

Draw through the lines three times on each wing, being sure to wipe of your skewer or scribe tool after each swipe.

Add another color of icing to the top two wings.

Add three lines of royal icing onto each wing.

Draw through the lines four times on each side again being certain to clean off your tool after each swipe.

Add two dots.

Add a tiny drop of black to the center of the dots.

It's fun to experiment with different color combinations. Let the cookies dry completely before serving or packaging. This takes about 8 hours.

For the bee, outline the body with black royal icing and add two dots for eyes. Let the outline dry for at least 30 minutes.

Fill in the body with bright yellow royal icing. I used medium consistency icing and a #1 tip.

Immediately add black stripes and lines between the body and wings.

Fill in the wings.

Use a skewer or scribe tool to fill in the gaps and give the cookie a gentle shake to help the icing even out.

Add two black dots of icing on top of the eye areas.

Add a tiny drop of the wing icing on top of the black dots. Let the cookies dry completely before packaging or serving.

Cookie Decorating Idea

My niece Maya asked me recently to make a giant cookie for a friend's birthday.

We decided on decorating the cookie with a bumble bee so I thought I could just use my bee-shaped cutter to cut another cookie that I could stick on top.

Maya said she wanted the bee to be iced onto the cookie so I figured I should practice drawing bees until I was struck with an idea that simplified everything — Just use the bee-shaped cutter to stamp an outline onto the cookie and trace away! Why didn't I think of this sooner?


Stamping and tracing the outline was easy and gave me lots of ideas for future cookies. Thank you Maya for helping me figure this out! When it comes to cookie decorating, there is always something new to learn.


Here's how I made Maya's cookie:

Outline and fill a cookie.

After the icing has dried for at least 1 hour, use your cookie cutter to stamp your design. Don't press too hard, just gently set the cutter into the icing and lift straight up.

Trace your design with piping consistency icing.

Add detail.

And add more detail....(see my honeycomb design post).

Add color with flood consistency icing. I used bright yellow and cream colored icing. And, I added two "sugar pearls" for the eyes.

Bee Sugar Cookie

I finished decorating my bee sugar cookies today and I'm pleased with how they turned out. I especially like how the brushed embroidery technique added a lacy look to the wings.

Initially I had planned on using a darker yellow for the body of the bee but decided to use a softer hue to better compliment the wing color.

I also decided to make some simple brushed embroidery flower cookies to go with the bees. I think they look sweet together.

Here's how to make them:

Bake a batch of bee cookies.

Make royal icing and color it for the base of the wings. I used a tiny amount of Lemon Yellow and Chocolate Brown to make it cream colored. Thin the icing with a bit of water to make it "flood consistency" and put it in a piping bag with a #2 tip.

Outline and flood the wings. Let this completely dry before moving onto the next step.

I used a bit of Royal Blue and Super Red coloring to make a soft lavender color for the wing detail. Keep this icing stiffer for your brushed embroidery. Put the icing in a pastry bag with a #2 tip. Also get your square tip brush ready and fill a small cup with water.

Outline the wing and use your square tip brush to gently pull the icing inward. Work around the whole wing.

It will look like this.

Tint some icing yellow and thin it to "flood" consistency. Also get a small amount of black icing ready that is the same consistency. Put the black icing in a bag with a #1 tip. You will need have it ready to use right after this step. Outline the body of the bee and fill it in.

With your black icing make three stripes and two dots for the eyes.

 Looking good!

Here's a close up of the easy brushed embroidery flower cookies I made at the last minute. Be sure that your base coat is completely dry before attempting brushed embroidery.

Keep working until you are done. I like to put on some music and enjoy the process. Please don't stress out — Just have fun.

After the cookies are completely dry they can be packaged for giving.