The Kitchen Tool That's A Safety Net For Beginner Cookie Decorators

When it comes to decorating cookies, getting the icing to look just right probably won't happen on the first try. It might not happen on the second or third try, either. Icing cookies can be frustrating for the beginning baker. However, there is one kitchen tool that can prevent a great deal of headaches and aggravation.

A cookie cutter can be a novice baker's best friend. Since fat melts as the cookies are baked, there is always some spreading. This means your final cookies will be slightly larger than they were as dough. Placing the cookie cutter on top after baking (and cooling) gives you a stencil to fill with icing, allowing you to create even intricate shapes with ease.

This simplest approach is to use icing that is thick enough to hold its shape and will set quickly. Pipe a border around the inside of the cookie cutter, and after the border hardens, you can fill it with icing for impressive results.

The only caveat to using a cookie cutter as a template for your icing is it should be smaller than your cookie. While this may sound restrictive, it opens up a universe of decorating possibilities. This means you are not limited to decorating a star-shaped cookie with a star-shaped cookie cutter. For example, you could place a small icing star on the belly of a gingerbread man or a Christmas ornament-shaped cookie.

Also, you aren't limited to roll-out cookies. You can add a sweet and creative topping to just about any cookie, biscuit, or cake. Chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and cupcakes are all baked goods that could benefit from this technique.

While this is an excellent decorating tip for most situations, it only works with open-top cookie cutters. If you are using an embossing cookie cutter, you won't be able to apply icing to the inside. However, if the cookie is large enough, you can still create a border by piping a line around the outside of your cookie cutter.