How to Decorate Turkey Cookies with Royal Icing: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hi there, I hope everything is going well for you! I have been baking and decorating again, and I recently shared two new recipes: Pecan Pumpkin Spice Rollout Cookies and Red Velvet Cookies. I have discovered that decorating is, even more than usual, a very creatively fulfilling activity. Maintaining some tried-and-true fall design themes, I noticed that I’ve never posted a video of this turkey, so here it is! He’s been a fall favorite for many years!

I’ve included all of my recipes, tips, and techniques below if you’ve never decorated cookies with royal icing. He’s very simple to make, probably even simpler for you if you’ve decorated cookies before.

Greetings, cookie lovers! Prepare to turn your basic sugar cookies into charming turkey masterpieces by following this thorough tutorial on royal icing decorating. Regardless of your level of experience decorating cookies, this tutorial will provide you with all the knowledge and abilities you need to make these festive treats.

Let’s dive into the delicious details!

Ingredients:

  • Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookies: This recipe offers a warm, autumnal flavor that complements the turkey theme. Alternatively, you can use your favorite sugar cookie recipe.
  • Royal Icing: This versatile icing is the perfect medium for outlining and decorating cookies. You can find a detailed recipe and tips for achieving the right consistency on Sweetopia.
  • Cookie Cutters: For this project, you’ll need a turkey cutter, a pumpkin cutter, and a set of mini fall cutters to create a charming scene.
  • Decorating Tools: Gather piping tips (PME #1.5 and #2.5), piping bags, couplers, gel colors in brown, red, orange, yellow, and black, a scribe tool or toothpicks, and a food-safe marker.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Outline and Fill the Base: Using a PME #1. 5 tip and brown medium icing, outline the turkey’s body on the cookie. Fill it in with the same icing using a PME #2. 5 tip. Gently shake the cookie to help the icing settle evenly.

  2. To create the colorful tail feather design, pipe thin lines of red, orange, and yellow icing on top of the wet brown icing. To create a marbled effect, drag the colors toward the center of the turkey using a toothpick or scribe tool.

  3. Add the Wing: Use the same marbling technique to add vibrant colors after completing the wing’s outline and filling.

  4. Decorate the Details: Using a PME #1.5 tip, pipe the wattle, beak, eyes, and feet with brown medium icing. Let the icing dry completely before moving on.

  5. Optional: Marbling Tip: Wipe your toothpick or scribe tool in between each drag to get a cleaner appearance with more color “feathering” for a more elaborate marbling effect. “.

Additional Resources:

  • Video Tutorial: Watch a video demonstration of the turkey cookie decorating process on Sweetopia’s website or Pinterest page.
  • Royal Icing Guide: Get detailed instructions and tips on making and using royal icing in Sweetopia’s comprehensive guide.
  • Cookie Decorating Basics: If you’re new to cookie decorating, Sweetopia offers helpful videos and tutorials on outlining, flooding, and other essential techniques.

Tips and Tricks:

  • Consistency is Key: Ensure your royal icing is the right consistency for both outlining and flooding. It should be thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to pipe smoothly.
  • Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect. Practice different techniques and designs to improve your skills.
  • Have Fun! Decorating cookies should be an enjoyable experience. Relax, let your creativity flow, and enjoy the process.

You’re ready to start decorating turkey cookies with these tips and resources! Post your finished products to Sweetopia’s social media pages to encourage others to create similarly festive masterpieces!

Happy decorating!

The Recipe – Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookies

I used this recipe for Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookies, but if you’d prefer to use a different cut out cookie recipe, like traditional sugar cookies, you can find a variety of decorating ideas here.

how to decorate turkey cookies

Click on each cookie cutter below to find the ones for this autumn set (this post contains affiliate links to Amazon). There is no extra cost to you):

how to decorate turkey cookies

You can find my favorite royal icing recipe here. The consistency of icing is key for easy decorating. Click here to see a YouTube video on finding the right icing thickness.

Video – How to Decorate Simple Turkey Cookies with Royal Icing

You can see the video in a larger format on Pinterest, here.

how to decorate turkey cookies

Decorate a Turkey Cookie for Thanksgiving

FAQ

What can I use to decorate cookies?

For the most basic cookie decorating: Make a bowl of Decorator Frosting and apply it to cooled cookies with a pastry brush, blunt knife, or small spatula. Add your choice of sprinkles and call it a day. Or dip the front of a cookie in thinned icing and put it on a cooling rack or plate. Add sprinkles and let dry.

Do you decorate cookies before or after oven?

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. I like to decorate cookies directly on baking sheets so I can stick the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help set the icing. So place the cooled cookies back on baking sheets.

How do professionals decorate cookies?

Use the right royal icing consistency You’ll use piping-consistency icing to outline the cookies and add intricate details, while you’ll use the looser flooding-consistency icing to fill the surface of the cookie and cover large areas. The only difference between the two icings is the amount of water added.

How do you dip cookies for decorating?

Dip your cookie, I kind of rock it to get a good coating, lift up, shake off excess and FLIP for the big reveal! That is the best part! Now simply move to your cooling rack! All of our cookies go into our dehydrator for the perfect shine, so once I’ve dipped a full tray, they go into the dehydrator!

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