How to Make Embroidery Cookies
I have been wanting to make cookies like these for quite some time. Every time I would try to muster up the energy (mentally, physically, and creatively) to work on an embroidery cookie, I found an excuse.
Finally, when one of my dearest friends moved into a new home I convinced myself that NOW is the time to try this embroidery technique. It seemed like the perfect occasion for some reason. Maybe because the “Home Sweet Home” mantra is synonymous with cross-stitch embroidery.
I honestly didn’t have a clue how they would turn out. They could have turned out horribly. Instead, they seemed to turn out okay. At least okay enough that many people asked for a tutorial!
So here we are! I took a stab at creating another embroidery cookie so I could film the entire process, instead of just a tiny part (like I did for the original cookie).
Scroll down to see the entire video (sped up by 500%…yes, it’s a slooooooow process) and all of my tips, tricks, and recommended supplies.
What You Need
Before you get started, make your cookies in whatever shape you like, but a circle or square would probably provide the best canvas. Then outline and fill the cookies with flood consistency royal icing and let dry completely.
You will want to reserve enough royal icing to use for your decorating. The royal icing consistency I recommend is a thin piping consistency icing. It’s about a 30-second consistency, meaning that it will settle into a flat surface after 30 seconds. Since the piping tip is so small, anything thicker than that will be hard to pipe; anything thinner will be spread out and run together.
Next, round up the following supplies you will need:
One item I recommend, but it isn’t necessary is a projector. You will see that I use it to outline my design and use it to trace my writing. It’s helpful for someone like me who can’t draw.
Finally, mix your icing into the colors you want for your design. It may only be a few colors, or it may be a lot! Once the colors are mixed, put them into your piping bags with no piping tip.
How to Make Them
One of the keys to this technique is working with a very fine piping tip opening. You can see I am not using a metal tip or nozzle, I just cut a small hole right in the bag. I find that creates the thinnest and most consistent line.
To cut the tip, first flatten the point of the bag with the seams on top and bottom. Then use a sharp pair of scissors to cut a tiny snip in the end. Test your tip by piping a short line on your working surface. It should be about as thick as embroidery thread (like the kind you would use to cross-stitch).
From there on, the trick is just piping a bunch of lines. That’s really all there is to it. Pipe short lines over and over again. Here, I’ll show you.
If you make any cookies using this technique, I would love to see what you create! You can email me directly, or tag me in your photos on Instagram! (@lindsey.ruel)