Tips For Decorating Sugar Cookies For Christmas

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Last Updated on March 20, 2022

Decorating sugar cookies for Christmas is a popular tradition for many families. It is a great way to spend time together during the holiday season as everyone can express their creative side. In addition, after decorating the cookies you get to enjoy eating them too.

There are many great ways you can decorate sugar cookies. You can use buttercream, royal icing, sprinkles and even dipping chocolate to create tasty masterpieces. There are many great ways you can go about decorating Christmas cookies that will make for a festive holiday activity.

How To Decorate Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are particularly great for decorating. Not only do they provide a great surface for decorating, but they also taste delicious with icing or frosting, along with other toppings.

Before you get baking, there are some handy tips to know to get the best possible decorated cookies. They can make the process easier and allow you to create more creative designs.

Chill the dough

Before you cut your cookies out, you will want to chill the dough. Chilling makes the dough more firm, making it easier to work with.

When working with the dough, the heat from your hands can cause the butter in the dough to melt f it gets too warm, making it sticky. Chilling helps prevent this from happening, lessening the chances your dough will be sticky. In addition, it will help the cookies hold their shape better when you bake them.

Use quality cookie cutters

For best results, use quality cookie cutters. Not only do they last longer, but they will give you better-shaped cookies. Opt for metal or sturdy plastic cookie cutters and be sure to hand wash them after every use.

You can also get creative with the cookie cutters you have. You can use a star shape to make a Santa or use a gingerbread man to create a yeti.

Make both piping and flood royal icing

If you want to take your decorating skills up a notch, make royal icing in both flood and piping consistencies. This will allow you to create neat edges and a smooth surface.

To make piping royal icing, you will want to reduce the amount of liquid in your royal icing or if need be, add more powdered sugar. To reach the consistency for piping, use a knife or toothpick to draw a line in the icing. It should take at least 25 seconds for the line to fully disappear to be the right texture.

To make flood royal icing, your royal icing will need more water to the royal icing. To reach the proper consistency, use a knife or toothpick to draw a line in the icing. It should take eight to ten seconds for the line to disappear in the icing.

Outline your cookies

To create a clean look on your cookie, outline your cookie with piping royal icing. You can then use the flood royal icing to fill in the outline.

You can also use gel or liquid food coloring to create different colors of icing. You can alternate using whatever colors you like to create fun and unique designs.

Christmas Cookie Set

Use different frosting tips to decorate with buttercream

You can also use buttercream to decorate your sugar cookies as well. You can easily make different colors of buttercream as well with gel or liquid food coloring.

To create beautiful designs and textures on your cookies, use different piping tips. You can use star, flower, and ruffle tips to create stunning designs.

You can use just buttercream to decorate your cookies or use both royal icing and buttercream. For best results, let the royal icing set before adding buttercream decorations.

Try dipping in chocolate

Instead of buttercream or royal icing, you can also dip your cookies in melted chocolate. You can use milk, dark or white chocolate to dip your cookies.

You can dip them fully or partially in the chocolate to create an elegant look. You can also add toppings to the chocolate as well or even decorate it with buttercream or royal icing once it dries.

Have fun with the add-ons

Once you’ve iced your cookies, you can have some fun with toppings. Sprinkles are a great way to elevate your cookie decorating. In addition to sprinkles, you can also use mini M&Ms, mini chocolate chips, crushed peppermints, mini marshmallows, and even red licorice (great for making scarves).

How To Store Decorated Cookies

After you decorate your cookies, you want to make sure you properly store them. Store your decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

To extend their shelf life, you can also store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days in the fridge. You can also freeze the cookies as well.

To freeze the cookies, place the cookies in an airtight container, a Ziploc bag or carefully wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. They will last in the freezer for up to two to three months if properly stored. When ready to eat, let the cookies thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour.

Decorating Sugar Cookies For Christmas

Decorating cookies is a wonderful way to spend time with your family during the holidays. It is an activity you can enjoy with the whole family or friends and you can even give the decorated cookies as gifts to others.

Before you get decorating, chill your dough before working it for the best results. In addition, be sure to use quality cookie cutters to get well-shaped cookies.

When decorating, you can use royal icing, buttercream, melted chocolate, or any combination of the three. For royal frosting, you can use both piping and flood icing to create a neat cookie. For the buttercream, use a variety of different pipes to create different pipes and textures on your cookies.

Be sure not to forget toppings as well. You can use sprinkles, mini M&Ms, crushed peppermints, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and red licorice for Christmas decorating of cookies.

Do you have any questions regarding decorating sugar cookies for Christmas? If so, please ask for any decorating tips for sugar cookies in the comment section below.

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