There are essentially two types of decorated cookies: the kind that are decorated before baking and the kind that are decorated after baking. The type you use is up to you; there are pros and cons for both types. The type that are decorated before baking are usually, although not always, quick to put together. A few sprinkles of colored sugar or dragees and you are done.

The kinds of cookies that are decorated after baking generally take longer and are more intricately done. They are often more beautiful than the simpler cookies. This type of decorating entails using royal icing in different colors, frostings, or even melted chocolate. Depending on the decoration the process can be tedious.

Here are some tips for beautifully decorated cookies:

• Royal icing will give the most professional look to your cookies. It dries hard and is durable.

• Use paste food colors to color the frostings, icings, and white chocolate for the best and most vivid results.

• Paint the baked and cooled cookies with corn syrup in any pattern and then sprinkle on colored sugar. The corn syrup will make the sugar stick on the patterns.

• After decorating your cookies with icing or frosting, set them aside in a safe place until the frosting or icing dries and forms a crust.

• Drizzling melted chocolate over a cookie is a wonderful embellishment.

• Always let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

• Color the raw dough with assorted food colors for colorful cookies.

• Dip part of a cookie in melted chocolate and then sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Tools for Decorating

You can buy decorating bags made of vinyl or even disposable plastic bags for more convenience. Spoon your frosting into the bag, filling it about halfway. Twist the top of the bag to seal and then squeeze firmly to move the frosting out through the decorating tip and onto your cookie. It will take a bit of practice to become comfortable with the technique. A great way to practice using the different tips is to make designs on a sheet of waxed paper.

Some of the tools that you may want to collect are:

• Couplers—allow you to change decorating tips quickly and easily

• Fine writing tips—great for outlining parts of the cookie, making scrolls and small dots, and writing

• Star tips—make nice mounds to put dragees on and create shells and other decorative effects

• Larger writing tips—great for polka dots and filling in larger areas with color

• Paintbrushes—can be used for applying egg-yolk paint or corn syrup

• Toothpicks—can be used to move color or create a chevron effect when you drag them through stripes of thin frosting

• Special tools that allow you to make intricate sculptures with marzipan and fondant are fun to learn to use and will help you make spectacular decorated desserts

Once the cookies are decorated, set them aside to allow the frosting to harden before storing; this will keep the designs from smearing. A final garnish may be created by using products like luster dust or edible glitter to enhance the decorated cookie. Some people even use edible gold leaf for very special decorated cookies.

Royal icing stores and ships well once it hardens, but buttercream does not. It is best to decorate cookies with buttercream just before serving. If you are making cookies that will be stored for a period of time or shipped, use royal icing and allow it to harden completely before packing and shipping. The icing will help seal the cookie and maintain the fresh flavor and texture.