Learn How To Pipe Borders With Royal Icing

In this week's cookie decorating tutorial, I'll show you how to pipe borders with royal icing. Watch the full tutorial and get the recipes in the Cookie Art Club!

You'll learn how to pipe a bead, shell, ruffle, and more. Before watching this tutorial, make sure to check out Royal Icing 101 in the Cookie Art Club to learn how to make royal icing, the different royal icing consistencies, and how to fill and hold a piping bag.

Round cookies decorated with sage green icing and small roses are on an unbleached piece of parchment paper. Each cookie has a different border design. The cookies are surrounded by piping bags.

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A round cookie decorated with sage green icing and small roses on a piece of unbleached parchment paper. The cookie is surrounded by similar cookies, but with different border designs.

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This dainty double bead border is one of my absolute favorites. This is one that I taught many times in my master class, and it was a favorite of my students', as well.

Different borders use different icing consistencies. This double bead uses medium consistency royal icing, which holds a soft peak. You can learn all about the different icing consistencies in my Ultimate Guide To Royal Icing.

A round cookie decorated with sage green icing, small roses, and a lacy border on a piece of unbleached parchment paper. The cookie is surrounded by similar cookies, but with different border designs.

The brush embroidery technique can be used in so many different ways. I normally use this technique to make flowers (like in these floral cookies), but here I used it to make a delicate lace border.

The rose design shown on these cookies is done using the wet-on-wet royal icing technique and will be shown in an upcoming tutorial in the Cookie Art Club.

A round cookie decorated with sage green icing, small roses, and a shell border on a piece of unbleached parchment paper. The cookie is surrounded by similar cookies, but with different border designs.

Here's what you'll need to pipe borders with royal icing

These supplies are available in my Amazon store unless otherwise noted

Stiff consistency royal icing
Medium consistency royal icing
Flood consistency royal icing
12” decorating bags
Scribe tool
Wilton decorating tips 1, 3, 16 (or any small open star tip), and 59s (or any small petal tip)
Couplers & Bag ties (I used Wilton brand)
Iced cookies

Relevant tutorials: Royal Icing 101 (available to watch in the Cookie Art Club!)

Round cookies decorated with sage green icing and small roses are on a long rectangular platter. Each cookie has a different border design. The platter of cookies is on a woodgrain background.

Want to make these cookies yourself? The video tutorial and recipes to recreate it are available to Cookie Art Club members and you can try it free for 7 days.

Let me know if you make this cookie and share your photos with me in the Cookie Art Club!