How to Decorate Cookies With Royal Icing

Pipe Borders

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Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to pipe the borders and edges of your cookies. Let the icing dry completely, about 20 minutes, before continuing to the next step.

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Flood

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Apply the icing to the surface of the cookie. You don’t have to fill every spot. Tilting the cookie will allow the icing to flow into space. A toothpick can help pull it into smaller spaces.

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Trim

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You can accent royal icing with sanding sugar or colored sprinkles before the icing hardens. Allow the cookies to dry several hours before storing them between sheets of waxed paper.

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Color

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Allow the first color to dry before adding a second color. Colored icing will darken a bit as it sets, so it’s best to make the color just a bit lighter than you want. It can then darken to the desired shade.

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Thin

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After piping edges of the cookies, add a few drops of water to the remaining icing to thin it. If it becomes too thin, mix in a small amount of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, it won’t flow over the cookies for a smooth finish. If any air bubbles form on the icing, use a toothpick to gently pop them.

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For more how-tos and Christmas-y treats, turn to Christmas Cookie Swap!

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