Decorated Ballerina Cookies

June 9, 2014 | 19 Comments »

I’ve always loved the idea of ballet and ballerinas, but unfortunately I am about as light on my feet as an elephant.  I fared about the same in the grace department.  In other words, ballet and I just don’t mix.  So, once again I’m living vicariously through cookies.  Hey, whatever works, right?

Decorated Ballerina CookiesTo make these cookies I used what may just be the most versatile cutter in my arsenal…a common plastic snowman cutter.

To decorate these cookies you will need:

Begin by using 20-second icing to flood the base as pictured below.  Add the face, move on to the hair, neck and arms, then finish up with a leotard and legs.  The icing will need a few minutes to set between steps, but does not have to be completely dry to move on.

Ballerina Cookies 1Let the base dry overnight and finish up with the details:

  1. Use a #14-#18 tip to pipe a bun and a #1.5 tip to add a swirl detail to the hair.
  2. Add eyes
  3. Use piping icing and a small tip to add straps, lips, and shoes.  This would also be a great time to add ribbons to the slippers, a detail I wish I had not forgotten.
  4. Use a large petal tip such as #103 or #104 to add a tutu.  I held the bag at a ninety degree angle, with the thin side of the tip facing up.
  5. Add a small swirl rose beneath her bun using #13 and #65 tips.  For instructions on piping swirl roses, click here.

Ballerina Cookies 2

This ballerina design is relatively manageable…as far as cookies go.  A simple 20-second base is made interesting by details piped on top.  This is a great way to simplify even the most intimidating cookie design.

If you’re worried about the thick later of icing used for the tutu being hard, you needn’t be.  In my experience, the cookie softens the icing enough to remove or bite through easily.

For more ballet cookie inspiration check out the following posts:

Cookies, Creative Use of Cutters, Little Girl Cookies, Tutorials
19 Comments »