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Cookie Decorating Supplies, Tools, & Videos - SweetAmbs

Cookie Decorating Supplies and Tools For Every Skill Level

Cookie decorating tools that come in my ice cream cookie decorating kit including a pamphlet showing a photo of the ice cream cookies and a list of what's inside, 3 bottles of food coloring, a dish of rainbow sprinkles, a scribe tool, 3 decorating tips, 3 couplers, 3 bag ties, one ice cream shaped cookie cutter, a bag of my signature cookie mix, a bag of my royal icing mix, and 3 decorating bags. The corner of the box is in the upper right corner. On the right side of the photo is a package of Sweetambs Royal Icing Mix next to a bowl of stiff consistency royal icing and a spatula with a dollop of royal icing.

This list of cookie decorating tools contains everything I would have wanted (or was lucky enough to have) when I started decorating cookies. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been decorating cookies for a while, this list has cookie decorating tools for every skill level.

The basic tools that you need for cookie decorating are decorating bags, decorating tips (or piping nozzles as they are also called), a scribe tool or a toothpick to help spread the icing on the cookie, and bag ties or rubber bands to help keep the icing from spilling out the back of the bag.

This post contains affiliate links. Read my affiliate disclosure here.

I probably own hundreds of cookie cutters, so it’s hard to narrow it down! A few of my favorites are the Square Plaque and the Rectangle Plaque. Take a look at my Amazon Store to see which cookie cutters I use the most. Ann Clark is my favorite brand!

Plaque and heart shaped cookies decorated with a watercolor wash and black calligraphy with piped details around the edges.

Decorating Bags, Couplers, and Bag Ties

Depending on the project I’m working on, I use 12″ decorating bags (disposable and reusable), couplers, tips, and tipless bags. I always secure the top of my bags with a bag tie so that the icing doesn’t spill out of the top as I’m decorating the cookies. You can find all of these in my Amazon Store.

A set of round cookies decorated with peach and pink flowers on a dark blue background. There is a royal icing ruffled edge around the cookies. In between the cookies are piping bags filled with royal icing.

Scribe Tools

My must-have tool! If you’ve watched my cookie decorating videos, you know that I always have a scribe tool by my side. I use it for smoothing icing, creating small details and correcting mistakes.

A scribe tool being used to form roses in royal icing on a plaque shaped cookie. The hand holding the scribe tool is wearing glitter nail polish.
Cookie decorating tools that come in my ice cream cookie decorating kit including a pamphlet showing a photo of the ice cream cookies and a list of what's inside, 3 bottles of food coloring, a dish of rainbow sprinkles, a scribe tool, 3 decorating tips, 3 couplers, 3 bag ties, one ice cream shaped cookie cutter, a bag of my signature cookie mix, a bag of my royal icing mix, and 3 decorating bags. The corner of the box is in the upper right corner.

Food Coloring

Two of my favorite food coloring brands are Wilton and Chefmaster. The Wilton Color Right set comes with 8 colors that you can combine to make any color you can imagine. Chefmaster and Ann Clark have a wide range of colors that you can mix or just use straight from the bottle. A few of my favorites from Chefmaster are Navy Blue, Baker’s Rose, and Teal Green.

You can also use food coloring to paint on royal icing like I did with this Stained Glass Cookie.

Luster Dusts, Pearl Dusts, and Liquid Shine

I use these terms interchangeably, but depending on the brand, they’re called luster dust or pearl dust. There is also a product called Liquid Shine that you can use as-is without adding liquid for painting.

Read this post to learn more about painting on royal icing and why it’s important to use alcohol.

A brush dipped in liquid gold paint applying the gold to a filigree iced cookie.

Decorator Brushes

I use a variety of decorator brushes for different techniques when decorating cookies including brush embroidery, painting, and even fixing mistakes. The set I use the most is the 5 Piece Decorator Brush Set from Wilton. I also use a thin artist brush for fine details, which you can find on Amazon.

A heart cookie painted with a rainbow watercolor wash, a flamingo cookie, and a plumeria cookie. The cookies are surrounded by a paint palette with food coloring watercolors, paint brushes, and a paper towel used for blotting the brushes.

Edible Ink Markers

Edible ink markers are a staple in my collection of cookie decorating tools. You can use them to add details, transfer designs onto a cookie, or even create watercolor effects like I did on these cookies (Chefmaster brand shown here). Find edible ink markers on Amazon Store.

A set of cookies decorated with a watercolor wash and names written in calligraphy. The cookies are decorated with filigree and bead borders. There are edible ink markers surrounding the cookies and there is a spray bottle of clear liquid as well as a plastic bag with swatches of marker drawn on.

Video Tutorials, Recipes, & Books

My video tutorials and my cookie decorating book teach everything from the basics like how to make royal icing and how to flood a cookie, to more advanced techniques like brush embroidery, filigree, and wet-on-wet roses.

My Cookie Art Club members receive access to my cookie and icing recipes, my Premium Video Tutorials, plus individualized cookie decorating advice and a new exclusive cookie decorating tutorial every month.

A hardcover book surrounded by cookies decorated to look like coffee, lattes, and donuts. The cover of the book show an image of the same cookies. The title of the book is Cookie Canvas. The subtitle reads creative designs for every occasion Amber Spiegel @sweetambs

Take a look at my tutorial on how to pack cookies for shipping and how to freeze decorated cookies for my full list of cookie packaging and shipping supplies.

Brightly colored decorated cookies wrapped in cello bags on a baking sheet. One cookie is off of the baking sheet sitting in front of a heat sealer. There are empty cello bags next to the tray of cookies. On the bottom of the image are two hands placing a Fragile sticker onto a shipping box. The text across the middle of the photo reads How To Pack Cookies For Shipping

How Do professionals decorate cookies?

Professional cookie decorators have lots of practice under their belt, but the tools they use are widely available in the baking aisle of craft stores and online.
When you start a cookie decorating project, get all of your tools ready and have them nearby so that you can reach for one as soon as you need it.
As a professional cookie decorator myself, I find the best way to decorate them is to break it down into steps.
1) Bake the cookies and allow them to cool completely (30-60 minutes)
2) Consolidate the cookies onto fewer trays to save space while you work
3) Ice the base layer of the cookies with flood consistency royal icing 

4) Allow the cookies to dry completely (overnight is best).
5) Once the cookies are dry, decorate the cookies by adding details and borders.
6) Allow the details to dry and package them in individual cello bags

Why are decorated cookies so expensive?

Decorated cookies can seem expensive, but there is a lot that goes into making them. On top of the ingredients and supplies factored into the cost, you can’t forget about how much time goes into decorating each cookie.

Even the simplest design can take 15 minutes to decorate, which doesn’t seem like much but when you multiply that by 100, it really adds up! Not to mention the time it takes to design the cookies, make the dough, cut the cookies, make and color the icing, fill all of the icing bags, and package the cookies.

How much should you charge for decorated cookies?

What you charge for decorated cookies will depend on your skill level and the market where you’re selling. I recommend charging around $4 per cookie for a simple design that’s around 3 to 3-½ inches, not including shipping. It may sound like a lot, but if you’re selling yourself short you’ll burn out fast. Charge what you’re worth!

This pricing chart from Sweet Sugarbelle is a great reference for cookie decorators who are just starting out

A set of 3 cookies with intricate royal icing designs. The cookie on top features a cameo with 3 roses and a gold laurel leaf border. The cookie on the right has a gold filigree design. The cookie on the bottom is decorated with an eyelet lace design. The cookies are surrounded by piped royal icing roses. The text across the top reads Become a subscriber for members-only benefits!

This post was originally published in February of 2017 and updated on September 25, 2023

Amber Spiegel, founder of SweetAmbs, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and the author of Cookie Art: Sweet Designs for Special Occasions. Amber has over 12 years of cookie decorating experience and has traveled the world teaching others how to decorate beautiful cookies on their own.

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