Cookie Decorating for Kids

Cookie decorating is a fun way for kids to practice piping, outlining, flooding, sprinkles and small design details. Decorated cookies are easier than full cakes because each child can work on one cookie at a time.

This page teaches simple royal icing cookie decorating and the color flow method. These skills also connect with cake decorating patterns, cake decorating techniques, and cookie cake decorating.

cookie decorating tutorial for kids with royal icing

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What Is Cookie Decorating?

Cookie decorating means adding icing, frosting, sprinkles, candy or small details to baked cookies. Kids can decorate sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, cookie cakes or holiday cookies.

Cookie Decorating Skills Kids Can Practice

  • Outlining shapes with icing
  • Flooding cookies with thinned icing
  • Adding sprinkles and candy details
  • Using simple patterns or cookie cutters
  • Practicing steady hand control
  • Creating edible art projects

Royal Icing for Cookie Decorating

Some royal icing recipes use raw egg whites. For kid-friendly cookie decorating, this recipe uses meringue powder instead. Royal icing dries firm, which makes it useful for outlining, flooding and adding details to cookies.

Royal Icing Recipe

gingerbread cookies decorated with royal icing

This royal icing recipe uses meringue powder instead of raw egg whites. It dries firm, which makes it useful for outlining, flooding, and decorating cookies.

Ingredients

Directions

Beat in a mixer until stiff peaks form, about 7 to 10 minutes. If you need to thin the icing, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.

Use thicker icing for outlines and thinner icing for filling in cookie shapes. This icing can also be used for small decorations like drop flowers.

Basic Cookie Decorating Steps

How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing

  1. Bake cookies and let them cool completely.
  2. Mix royal icing until smooth.
  3. Divide icing into bowls and tint with food coloring.
  4. Use thicker icing to outline each cookie shape.
  5. Thin some icing with a little water for flooding.
  6. Fill the inside of the outline with thinned icing.
  7. Add sprinkles or small details while the icing is wet.
  8. Let cookies dry completely before stacking or storing.
step by step cookie decorating tutorial with royal icing

Cookie Decorating Using the Color Flow Method

The color flow method uses icing to make smooth, flat designs. You outline a design, thin the icing, fill in the sections and let the piece dry completely. Color flow designs can be used on cookies, cakes, cupcakes and other decorating projects.

Thanks to Joanne Clifton of Fredericksburg, Texas, for sharing these color flow instructions.

Color Flow Method Steps

  1. Mix 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water, 4 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons meringue powder.
  2. Beat on low speed for about 5 minutes.
  3. Keep unused icing covered with a damp cloth so it does not harden.
  4. Place your design on a flat surface and cover it with parchment paper or wax paper.
  5. Use full-strength icing to outline the design.
  6. Let the outline dry for at least 2 hours.
  7. Tint additional icing colors.
  8. Thin small amounts of icing with 1/2 teaspoon water at a time until it flows easily.
  9. Fill each outlined section with thinned icing.
  10. Let each color crust before adding another color next to it.
  11. Let the finished design dry at least 24 hours, or longer for large pieces.
  12. Move the dried piece to the edge of the table and slowly peel away the parchment or wax paper.
snowflake cookies decorated with color flow icing

Color Flow Drying Tips

  • Keep unused icing covered with a damp cloth so it does not harden.
  • Let outlines dry before filling in the design.
  • Let each color crust before adding another color next to it.
  • Allow finished pieces to dry at least 24 hours, or longer for larger designs.
  • Make color flow pieces a few days ahead when possible.
  • Store dried pieces flat in a safe container at room temperature.

Find more cookie recipes here.

Examples of Color Flow Icing on Cakes

Color flow designs are not only for cookies. You can also make a dried icing design and place it on top of a cake. This works especially well with simple coloring-page-style patterns.

Thanks to Joanne Clifton for sharing this cake decorating example.

cake decorated with color flow icing design pattern used for color flow icing cake design

For this cake, Joanne used a coloring page with a character design and enlarged it to fit the cake pan. She placed the design on the back of a cookie sheet, covered it with parchment paper and used color flow icing to outline and fill the picture.

She used black icing with a number 3 round tip to outline the picture, waited for the outline to set, then filled in the areas with thinned icing colors. After the design dried completely, she placed it on the finished cake and added extra frosting details.

This same idea can also connect with cake decorating patterns, chocolate transfers and frozen buttercream transfers.

Cookie Decorating Tips for Kids

Make Cookie Decorating Easier

  • Use large cookies for younger kids.
  • Set cookies on trays before decorating.
  • Give each child a small bowl of icing and a few toppings.
  • Use squeeze bottles for younger decorators.
  • Keep designs simple: dots, stripes, hearts, stars, initials and smiley faces.
  • Let cookies dry before moving them.

Cookie Decorating Video

Cookie decorating is a fun fit for parties, holiday projects, food art, edible crafts and simple cooking lessons.

Good Cookie Decorating Projects

More Cake & Cookie Decorating Ideas

Try these related decorating pages next for cakes, cookies, patterns, transfers and creative food projects.

Kids Cake Decorating Ideas

Return to the main cake decorating hub for beginner-friendly frosting, piping and decorating projects.

Cookie Cake Decorating

Decorate a large cookie cake with borders, lettering, sprinkles and party designs.

Cake Decorating Patterns

Use simple outlines, templates and cookie cutters to guide cake and cookie designs.

Cake Decorating Techniques

Practice stars, shells, dots, writing, drop flowers and other beginner piping skills.

Chocolate Transfers

Use a pattern and melted candy coating to make designs for cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

Creative Kitchen Activities

Explore edible crafts, food art, decorating projects and creative cooking ideas for kids.

More Creative Decorating Practice

Cookie decorating is a fun fit for kids cooking parties, edible crafts and creative kitchen activities.

Cookie Decorating FAQ

What icing is best for cookie decorating?

Royal icing is one of the best icings for cookie decorating because it can be used thick for outlining and thinned for filling in designs.

Can kids decorate cookies with royal icing?

Yes. Kids can help outline, flood, add sprinkles and decorate cookies. Younger kids may do better with squeeze bottles or simple frosting bags.

What is the color flow method?

The color flow method uses icing to outline and fill a design on wax paper or parchment paper. After it dries completely, the design can be placed on cookies or cakes.

How long does color flow icing take to dry?

Small color flow pieces may dry in about 24 hours, but larger designs can take longer. Making pieces a few days ahead gives them more time to dry completely.

More Cake & Cupcake Decorating Ideas

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Cupcake Ideas
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Cupcake Printables & Supplies
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Cookie Decorating
Cookie Decorating Color Flow Decorating

Back to Kids Cake Decorating Ideas

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