How to Decorate a Conversation Heart Cookie

Directions

• 1

  Bake and cool cookies before decorating. We recommend Ann Clark's No-Fail Sugar Cookie Recipe. If you're feeling romantic, try our Cherry Coconut Cutout Cookie Recipe. Make sure cookies are fully cooled. If they are warm, the icing will run off of them.

  Make royal icing. Learn how to mix different consistencies of royal icing here »

  Prepare the following icing colors:

  Piping Consistency:
  Pink
  Red

  Flood Consistency:
  Pink

  
• 2

  Using the light pink outline consistency icing, outline the heart shape. Hold your piping bag over the heart and let the icing fall down to get clean, precise lines.

  
• 3

  Flood the heart shape with the light pink flood consistency icing. Let this flood base dry for 45-60 minutes before moving onto the next step. Drying your cookies in a dehumidifier or under a fan will speed up this process.

  
• 4

  Using the red outline consistency icing, practice your lettering on a piece of paper towel. This will help you get a feel for writing with royal icing. Alternatively, you can print out the lettering and practice tracing the letters. See our tutorial on how to pipe letters without a projector here.

  
• 5

  Once the light pink flood base has crusted over, at least 45 minutes, carefully pipe the letters onto your cookie. Consider piping the second word first, as you may find it easier to center onto your cookie.

  
• 6

  Pipe your second word, centering it in the middle of the first word you piped. Sit back and admire your work! If you made a mistake - don't worry! It happens. You can carefully scrape off the icing with a butter knife and start again
  

  
• 7

  These cookies make the perfect gift for your Valentine!

  
• 8

  WATCH:How to Decorate a Conversation Heart Sugar Cookie