Wet On Wet Flowers

I've shown how to make these before but I so love cookie decorating that's easier than it looks and these wet on wet flowers are just that.

They are called wet on wet flowers because they are created by adding wet icing onto wet icing and then using a scribe tool to swirl and blend to create the flowers.

It truly is easy and a little bit of practice makes perfect. The only rules are that you must have all of your icing colors mixed and ready to go at once before you start decorating and you can only work on one cookie at a time.

Here's how:

Get all your icing colors mixed and ready. You want them all to be flood consistency.

I outlined and flooded a cookie with green icing and then immediately added a blob of light pink, the size I wanted the flower to be. On top of the light pink, I then added some dark pink and white.

I used my scribe tool (a skewer or toothpick would also work) to swirl the colors together to create a flower shape.

Then I dropped on a bit of dark yellow for the center.

I highlighted the center by adding some dark pink under it.

And, added some more drops of light pink to create another layer of petals.

Maneuver the icing with your scribe tool until you are satisfied.

I'm pleased with this!

Add some green icing for leaves.

Use your scribe tool to pull the green icing out to a point. Before I did this, I dipped my scribe tool in a bit of the lighter green to create little lines.

I also decided to add a few white dots all around the cookie.

Here's another one. I outlined and flooded the cookie, added the same icings for the flower and added a dark pink border.

I didn't add a center to this flower, I just swirled the colors together. For interest, I added a little line of yellow to the center of the leaves by dipping my scribe tool in the icing and lightly drawing it on.

Here's a variation with lots of small flowers and a bead border. I didn't add any white to the flowers, I just used light and dark pink.

And here's yet another design. There really is no end to what you can create.

Colorful Dot Cookies

These colorful dot cookies are a perfect project for first time cookie decorators. You'll get lots of practice outlining and filling cookies with royal icing and you'll get some cute cookies in the end.

The secret to success is using flood consistency royal icing that isn't too thin. These dot cookies are small at 1.5 inches in diameter, and if your icing is too thin it will be hard to control and want to run down the sides of the cookie. Aim for 15 second icing which is icing that settles into place in 15 seconds after drawing a line through it with the back of a spoon.

Another tip is to take your time choosing colors. These cookies are simple so you want pleasing colors that look good together. I chose complimentary pastel shades of green, blue, yellow and pink mixed using electric colored Americolor gel pastes.

Here's how to decorate them using the 15 second flood icing and a #2 pastry tip:

Outline the cookie.

Immediately fill the cookie.

Use a skewer or scribe tool to help evenly distribute the icing and give the cookie a gentle shake to help the icing settle.

Keep working until you have decorated all of the cookies. Let the cookies dry completely before serving or packaging. This usually takes about 8 hours depending on the humidity.

Adding Dimension To Cookies

These mini pumpkin cookies would be pretty blah if they were flatly decorated with orange royal icing. Adding dimension by dividing the pumpkin into segments makes them look so much better because it adds realism and interest.

And, adding dimension to cookies really is simple. For the pumpkins, all I did was divide the pumpkin into three segments by piping a border. I then waited for about 5 minutes for the border to set and then filled in the segments.

Once you learn the technique, you'll want to use it in other cookie designs because it just looks so good.

For more tips on how to add dimension to your sugar cookies watch my Easter decorating video here.

And, here's how to decorate the mini pumpkins:

Color and thin some royal icing. You want to make sure your icing is the correct consistency. For this, you need 10-second icing which means that if you draw a line through your icing with a spoon, it will take 10 seconds for it to settle back together.

Use a #1 pastry tip to divide the pumpkins into three segments and let them set for 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding to the next step.

With the same icing and same #1 tip, fill in the segments.

These pumpkins are transformed in no time.

Add some color to the stem of the pumpkin and that's it - so cute and so simple.

Just For Fun Cookies

My good friends Shinobu and Rieko came over yesterday to see my new kitchen and decorate cookies with me just for fun.

The day before, I baked up a batch of sugar cookies that I cut in different shapes. Then my friends and I made royal icing together and tinted it in a variety of colors.

It was "relaxed decorating" because we enjoyed experimenting with different icing techniques and not feeling any pressure because the cookies were just for us.

Having the correct consistency of royal icing when you are decorating cookies makes all the difference and the only way to figure this out is by practice. I also hinted to my friends that I'm hoping to recruit them when it's time to decorate snowflake cookies for the annual Christmas cookie sale to benefit the Wednesday Community Meal.

Cookie decorating is always more fun when you are with friends.

A heart decorated using the simple "wet on wet" icing technique. Fill and flood a cookie with white icing using a #2 tip and quickly drop colored dots of icing using a #1 tip.

A scalloped chevron heart made by piping a white border and then filling and flooding the cookie with pink icing. While the icing is wet, draw lines of white icing across the heart and quickly use a skewer to draw through the icing lines to create a chevron effect.

A simple scalloped heart made by outlining a border with piping consistency icing using a #1 tip. Piping consistency icing is the texture of toothpaste. Let the border dry and then flood the cookie with another color of icing. Use a skewer to ease the icing to the edges of the border.

A pretty cupcake cookie made by flooding  the cookie with white icing for the paper and pink for the cake. Add some cute sprinkles to the pink cake part. Let the icing dry for about 15 minutes before piping lines for texture on the paper and swirls for texture on the cupcake. Because the flood icing wasn't completely dry, the details melted a bit into it for a soft textured look. If you want your details to look sharper, add them after the flood icings are completely dry.

A simple chevron pattern that is striking yet so easy to make. Food the cookie with white icing and immediately pipe lines in alternating colors across the cookie. Use a skewer to drag down, up and down through the lines, wiping it clean after each swipe.

Turkey Sugar Cookie Video

Here's a quick video to show you how to create the turkey sugar cookies in my November 11, 2012 post.

Quilted Sugar Cookies

Only two colors of royal icing are needed to make these cute quilted sugar cookies — A main color that is flood consistency and an accent color that is piping consistency.

These cookies are easier to make than they look. Here's how do do it:

With a food safe marker, draw your grid lines.

With your icing that is flood consistency, only fill in the grids that touch in the corners.

After the first filled grids have dried for at least 15 minutes, fill in the remaining grids. You may need to use a skewer to ease the icing out so that all the edges meet.

With your icing that is piping consistency, add tiny dots in the corners of the grids and add a border.

Experiment with different patterns and have fun.

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.