The Twenty Second Rule {Twenty-Second Icing}
Yeah, I know…completely different than anything you have heard or seen…
I guess I am a rebel. Or lazy. Maybe a little of both. Whatever the case, this works, and once you get the hang of it, it will save you time and frustration when decorating cookies.
This is a visual example of “Oh, @#*! Icing {view post here}
I most often use this when I have waited until last minute do work on a set of cookies, but it also works for achieving certain textures and effects.
This first video is what I call the 20-second rule.
According to our tests it’s really the 19.7, 19.4, and 19.9 rule, but for ease we’ll go with 20…
When you are watching this, pay attention not only to the rate at which the line dissapears, but also the icing as it drops back into the bowl. It’s thicker than normal flood icing. The recipe I use can be found {HERE}
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Now that we’ve covered thickness, I want to show you HOW I get the icing into the bottle. You know those measuring cups and mini-spatulas I’m always pushing on you? This is EXACTLY why I hoard them. They WORK!
Now to the decorating. When you use this type of icing, it’s all in the order that you work. It’s a little hard to explain, so just watch. This is step 1.
After this, wait a while. Twenty minutes, thirty…watch a show. You’ll save so much time not filling bags, you can find all kinds of things to do.
Finally, move on to step two. {Some cookies will require three}.
When the cookies are complete, give them the normal 6-8 hour drying time, and you’re done. You can use them to top cupcakes OR I LOVE putting mini cookies into jars and giving them as gifts! They are SOOOOO cute!
*Icing bottles can be found at Karen’s Cookies, Fancy Flours, Country Kitchen, Global Sugar Art, or even Wal-Mart.
*I use the Wilton recipe for my RI.
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Love it! Love it! Love it! Really appreciate your efforts with this new info videos!! Made my first RI tonight. Haven’t found the bottles near me yet but heading to a cake supply store tomorrow. Wish me luck. Thanks SugarBelle and Your sweetie!
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Love your decorating ideas!! I usually do cakes but your cookies are sooo cute!
HI Sugarbelle .. I found your site by following a link a friend posted .. and WOW. I don’t think I have ever seen such beautiful cookies .. EVER. Normally I work in fondant and do mainly cakes .. but I think you may have just inspired a new hobby! I have GOT to try this 🙂
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You make it look so easy! Such perfect smoothness and consistency. It was fun to watch you in action:) Thanks for the tutorial< Callye!
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Love it! Thank you so much for sharing. I have always used the second rule, which I have found to be fickle! I used your 20 second rule today, and my cookies came out phenomenal. You are the best!
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Love Love Love your website!!!! Your cookies are fabulous!
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I have been looking for TUTORIAL on how to floodcookies this is very helpful and fast. Great job
These cookies just make me happy inside! Lol :0) Thank you so much for your fantastic blog and for sharing your amazing talent and knowledge with all of us!
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I love you ideas! You are amazing at decorating cookies.
Awesome tutorial. Really-really useful. You are absolutely my role model. :)))) Thanks for blogging.
Love love love your cookies! Each one is a little work of art!
I’m not finding the actual recipe for the 20 second icing. When I click your link it takes me to your RI recipe. Do I just need to add more water? Beat the RI less time? I would love to try out your icing this weekend, my daughter’s class is having a cookie decorating contest next week.
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE your cookies I started making cakes about 10 years ago when I found out that my son was severely allergic to peanuts and treenuts. I would love to learn how to make cookies like you do! I have never made cookies like yours so I wouldnt even know where to begin let alone what the icing terms are you use (like 20 second icing!!!!). I do have a facebook page (theCAKEco) and a webpage (www.thecakeco.ca). If you have the time, as I know you are uber busy, and could email me back Id LOVE to hear what you have to say and take any guidance or suggestions.
Thanks so much!!!!
Again, LOVE LOVE LOVE your work!!!
Melly
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your blog is so much fun……I check it almost daily……question…….when you use the 20 second icing what tip size do you use with the squeeze bottle?……do you also use the same icing for writing and what tip do you use for that? Thank you in advance.
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I am thoroughly enjoying your site. I’m new decorating cookies, even though I’ve cooked and baked for years. Thanks for providing these enjoyable tutorials.
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hello question for you, My son is getting married in June when he comes home from Afghanistan and I was wondering if I make wedding cookies and bag them with the ribbon and all, can I freeze them like that? so can a decorated cookie be frozen basically and if so how do I need to store it for 2 months?
Thank you
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I love your website! Your sugar cookie recipe is awesome and I’m learning so much from watching your videos! Thanks so much for all the time you put into this!
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I think I love you! LOL! I have been decorating cakes and cookies for years (as a hobby, not a profession) and I have learned so many tricks from you today I can’t wait to make my next batch of cookies!
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Unbebievalle how well-written and informative this was.
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todo hermosisimo como hago para oirlo en español no hablo ingles, gracias todo eso me fascina y estoy aprendiendo todos los dias mas.
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hey! i love your blog your cookies are amazingly beautiful.
could you please tell me were i can get those bottles with tip attachment?
( i dont live in the states so somewhere like amazon would be preferable, thank you!)
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Maravillosos videos. Un besazo.
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Okay. I just found this recipe and made it (mine is more like 14 second icing…) and I believe I can honestly say it changed my life! I’m making cookies for my daughters Sweet Sixteen party tomorrow night and I AM LOVING THIS ICING. If I knew where you lived, I’d hunt you down and kiss you. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
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Where on earth did you get star wars cookie cutters? Do you make them yourself?
Here’s what I did… https://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2012/05/may-the-fourth-be-with-you-star-wars-day/
Your work is beautiful – the cookies are gorgeous!!! Will definitely try them soon
Hello
I’m from Mexico city and I have a bakery I get asked a lot to do decorated cookies I never get them to look as perfect as yours I’ve been watching your tutorials and I realised that you use a botlles instead of piping bags and I was wondering where can I find them, allso I would like to know if yo give any tipe o lessons?
Love your work
Gina
what icing is it? in the first place? how do i make it xx
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I just tried your recipe, I’ve been using a modified royal that contains butter because it tastes so good but it never really hardens all the way. But I never found a royal that suggested using flavoring, duh! So I’m still working on getting the consistancy down but I think I’m getting close. I was kinda bummed it dried so matte, yours look shiny… is this just the way they photograph or am I doing something wrong?
Try this…this is my secret https://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2011/04/my-1-fan-wfmw/
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Hey ! Thanks Sooooo Much for your website and all your blogs. I’ve just made a 2 batch thing of cookies using your cookie recipe, and it’s AWESOME!!!!! * Next step is trying to figure out the Flood, Piping, and 20 sec icing. * Now this is where things start to get confusing for me.* One Question…. Is the 20 sec icing the same exact thing as the piping consistency? i’m trying to recreate the ladybug cookies, i see that you outlined the ladybugs and the white daisys, is this done with the 20 sec or the piping? Thanks so Much and I love your website!!!!!!
Hey it’s me…. again! Lol! So sorry to bother you, but as to my last comment, i guess what i’m really asking is…. If the recipe calls for Flood, Piping, and 20 sec…. i’m trying to figure out which set of icing i should start out making first. Because i want to keep the Flood, Piping and 20 sec all the same shade of color, meaning i’ve got to color one big batch of icing first and then work down till i get the consistency right for each 3 using the spray bottle like mentioned in your blogg. so should i do the 20 sec first meaning that it would be the thickest?, then the piping, and then the flood? So i guess i will need 3 bottles ready to fill?… Thanks So much and I’m sorry for the confussion, this is my first time making the cookies with royal icing!!!
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how cool….
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I just love your site and all of your wonderful tips. All this time I have been using 20 second icing and didn’t know it. All I did know is that I had a really hard time getting the right consistency every time. Thanks for the tip. Also I have been using bottles that I buy form the beauty supply store. The hair coloring bottles.. They tend to have a fairly small tip and I am able to allow the kids to help out if I use the bottles. I also use a straight pin with a large head to stick in the top of the bottle for over night storage (or when I just need a lilttle break). I have never let parts of the cookie dry before moving on either. But I will be doing it now. Thanks again. I can’t wait to get my Christmas cookies going and it is only September!
Thank you for simplifying royal icing! I love the look and making it one step instead of two is a lifesaver. Decorated some unicycle cookies today and the saddles used the 20 second rule. Thanks again!!
I cant wait to try this. Wish I had seen it two weeks ago when I did my daughters birthday cupcakes.
I just tried this last night and it worked great!! I have always been hesitant to make cookies because of the process, but now I feel like it will be a lot easier. Thanks again for sharing 🙂
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I love your site! I have made this icing a few times. It is definitely a talent you have, getting the icing at the perfect texture. I’m still trying to perfect mine. My question is, do you ever have a problem with your icing drying or thickening in the bottle while you are waiting between steps to let cookies dry? Mine seems to change after sitting for a while, which can be frustrating when you go back later to use it. I have tried putting a wet paper towel over the tip, which does help. Any other suggestions or tips?
Thanks!
Cindy
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Hi! I love visiting your site over and over again! I learn a lot of things here and for that thank you very much for sharing your talent and passion. I would like to ask if you used MINI cookie cutters for this cookies you stored in your jar? I was wondering how did they all fit inside a small cookie jar? When I buy cookie cutters( like wiltons), the size they usually sell are quite big or just the regular size you would see in the stores? Where do you buy all these cute mini cookie cutters? Thank you and I hope you would answer my question. 🙂
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