How to Set Up a Cookie Decorating Station
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This holiday season grab some homemade frosting, tons of colorful sprinkles, and set up a cookie decorating station for your little ones to create their own cookie creations!
My son loves to help me bake. Whenever I go out into the kitchen he always asks if he can help. If I’m cooking I usually don’t let him but if I’m baking he’s allowed to help measure, mix, and help put the baked goods into pans or on cookie sheets.
While he won’t eat my baked goods he does love to decorate them. Piping frosting on cupcakes or putting sprinkles on cookies is so much fun for him. I enjoy watching him do it but I hate the mess that comes afterwards.
That’s why I’ve been setting up cooking decorating stations for him. These photos are from when he was just 2 and a half. Now he’s 4 but this is still one of his favorite baking activities.
What You Need:
- rimmed cookie sheets
- foil
- piping bags or zip top bags
- buttercream frosting
- sugar cookies
- sprinkles
- Before you get started line several rimmed cookie sheets with foil. This will make for easy clean up (you’ll thank me later!)
- Divide the buttercream frosting into several bowls and tint them whatever colors you are planning on using. While you can use the food coloring you find in the market if you want bright, bold colors think about using AmeriColor gel food colors.
- Put one color in each piping bag or zip top bag and cut off the ends.
- Place different colored sprinkles in cupcake liners. I usually use 4 or 5 different themed colors but you can use whatever colors or combinations you’d like.
- Allow your little one to put the frosting on the cookies then put the sprinkles on top.
- Allow the cookies to dry overnight then you can package them and give them as gifts or enjoy them!
For the holidays choose 3 or 4 different cookie designs. I use a basic sugar cookie recipe and cut out the designs. Don’t use the refrigerated sugar cookie dough as it rises and your cookie designs will be distorted.
You’ll also need a basic buttercream frosting recipe. In this case you can use canned frosting and dye it different colors but I much prefer a homemade buttercream. Plus, homemade buttercream will crust on the top and make the cookies easier to package up.
How do I make buttercream frosting?
Buttercream frosting is a simple combination of butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. I generally use 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of milk. Mix everything together in a mixer until smooth. Add additional milk or powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
How much food coloring will I need to dye the frosting?
If you are using AmeriColor gel you will need about 1/2 teaspoon of gel to 2 cups of frosting. If you are using food coloring from the market you will need around 10-15 drops of coloring to 2 cups of frosting.
Do I need piping tips for the piping bags?
No! While you can certainly use them whenever I let kids decorate I simply buy the disposable piping bags and cut the end off and let them pipe it out. They aren’t going to make intricate details on the cookies so they won’t need a fine tip.
I know that there are plenty of sugar cookie recipes online and that everyone has their own favorite. I’m going to link a few that I’ve used in case you need a new one. I’ve got my classic sugar cookie recipe that I use all the time, a vegan sugar cookie recipe that can’t be beat, and a gluten free sugar cookie recipe.
I’ve made and sold my cookie designs using all three of these recipes and they’ve been super popular. They have all been tested time and time again so you know they will turn out!
Sugar Cookie Recipes:
How to Set Up a Cookie Decorating Station
Materials
- 3 rimmed cookie sheets
- foil
- 4 or 5 piping bags or zip top bags
- 4 c. buttercream frosting
- food coloring
- 4 dozen sugar cookies
- 4 or 5 types of sprinkles
Instructions
- Line the rimmed cookie sheets with foil.
- Divide the buttercream frosting into 4 or 5 bowls and tint them whatever colors you are planning on using.
- Put one color in each piping bag or zip top bag and cut off the ends. Place the bags of frosting on one of the rimmed cookie sheets.
- Place different colored sprinkles in cupcake liners. Place the cupcake liners on one of the rimmed cookie sheets.
- Place the cookies on the third rimmed cookie sheet. You won't be able to fit them all on the cookie sheet so have your child decorate 8 or 9 at a time then transfer them to a wire rack or plate to set overnight.
- Allow your little one to put the frosting on the cookies then put the sprinkles on top.
- Allow the cookies to dry overnight then you can package them and give them as gifts or enjoy them!
Notes
