How to decorate sugar cookies

Sugar cookies with royal icing

Start with simple sugar cookies and classic royal icing. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating. To prevent the icing from drying out, cover them with a damp kitchen towel and plastic wrap until ready to use.

Recipe: Sugar cookies with painted icing

How to Frost Cookies: Step 1

Pouring is a technique used to completely coat a cookie with royal icing.

Place about 1/2 cup of royal icing in a zip-top plastic bag and snip off a small corner. Apply this icing to a thin border around the edges of each cookie. Let it sit for a few minutes. Thin the remaining icing with a few drops of water until it reaches a syrupy consistency.

Step 2

Place half the diluted icing in a zip-top plastic bag; color the rest with red and/or green gel food coloring. Place the colored icing into the bags. Snip off the corner of the white icing bag and squeeze a generous amount onto the cookies inside the piping.

Step 3

Spread the icing with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to coat the cookies. Decorate with colored icing while the white icing is still wet (see below). Let the cookies sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Christmas star

These cookies are perfect for topping your tree, but you'll likely find it hard to resist eating them.

Step 1

Cover the star-shaped cookies with white icing. While it's still wet, pipe concentric stars of red and green icing onto the cookies, with a circle in the center.

Step 2

Run a toothpick from the center to each sharp edge (wipe the toothpick after each use).

Elegant caramel

These red and white cookies look as festive as candy canes. They're perfect for those who don't like the peppermint flavor.

Step 1

Cover the round cookies with white icing. While it's still wet, pipe horizontal stripes of red icing across the top.

Step 2

Run a toothpick vertically through the strips, alternating directions (wipe the toothpick after each time).

Festive garland

You can stop at step 1, and the cookies will still be very cute and perfect for gifting. But the elegant garland is worth the extra effort.

Step 1

Cover the round cookies with white icing. While it's still wet, pipe large dots of red and green icing in alternating rows.

Step 2

Run a toothpick through the dots, changing direction (wipe the toothpick after each time).

Holly

Your loved ones will be impressed by the detailed leaves—but they don't need to know how easy it is to do.

Step 1

Cover the round cookies with white icing. While it's still wet, pipe short lines of green icing on top.

Step 2

Using a toothpick, pull the edges of each line several times to create pointed leaves (wipe the toothpick after each stroke). Press red dots into each leaf.

Christmas ribbons

The wavy pattern, reminiscent of candy ribbons, is a real eye-catcher. These cookies are sure to catch the eye at any holiday party.

Step 1

Cover the round cookies with white icing. While it's still wet, pipe stripes of red and green icing.

Step 2

Run a toothpick from the bottom up on each pair of strips several times, drawing rounded lines (wipe the toothpick after each stroke).

Twinkling Star

At first glance, this design may seem simple, but if you look closer, you'll see tiny hearts running along the edges of the star.

Step 1

Cover the star-shaped cookies with white icing. While it's still wet, pipe alternating dots of red and green icing along the edges.

Step 2

Run a toothpick along the edges through the dots (wipe the toothpick at each corner).