5Tipsfor D5Tipsfor Decorating ecorating Sugar CSugar Cookies ookies

BY LAURA KRELL

Freeze dough prior to baking. This will help the cookie hold its shape during and after baking. Roll out your cookie dough and freeze it for about 15 minutes prior to cutting your shapes. You can also freeze them again prior to baking.

Smooth Top of Cookie when it comes out of the oven. Using a spoon or fondant smoother, flatten and smooth out the top of your cookie when it first comes out of the oven. This will help make sure your cookies are flat and less chance of your icing falling off the edge.

Take the time to ensure proper royal icing consistency. Royal icing can be difficult to work with, especially if you have the incorrect consistency. Take the time to make sure you have the correct consistency (flood, detail, florals, etc). If you have to stop and empty out your piping bag and add water (to make thinner) or more powdered sugar (to make thicker) do it - you will be glad you did! There are many tutorials on Youtube on how to mix different consistencies of royal icing. Or you can just use buttercream!

Outline the different sections you plan to decorate on your cookie. This will create a wall for your icing and it will be less likely to fall over the edge of the cookie or melt into the wrong parts of your cookie. Make sure to use a medium thickness consistency for this step.

Be patient, take your time and practice! Working with royal icing takes a lot of patience and practice. Make sure you allow your icing time to dry in between steps and your design will have more definition. The more you practice the easier it will become!

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the experience!! It doesn 't matter what they look like in the end. What matters is that you have fun and enjoy doing it!!