Simple Dora Star Cookies
One of the best tips that I can offer to a beginning cookie decorator is not to get overly ambitious your first time out of the gate. Starting the decorating adventure with a complicated cookie design can quickly turn something that is supposed to be fun into a nightmare.
A great example of starting simple is easy Dora star cookies. Recognizable to kids but simple enough for a beginning decorator.
To make these cookies you will need:
- Piping icing and 20-second icing in the color of your choice
- Slightly lighter shade of flood icing
- Royal icing eyes, I bought mine, but you can always make them yourself {the Bearfoot Baker has a great little how-to HERE}.
To simplify things further I suggest mixing the dark outline color first, then, once the cookies are outlined, thin to 20-second consistency {reserving a bit for facial details}, and finish up by adding enough white to create lighter flood icing.
So, now that I have thoroughly confused everyone…begin by outlining and flooding the cookie. 
Next, use tweezers to drop eyes into the wet icing. Place them about halfway down the cookie about half a centimeter apart for a more authentic look.
Let the cookie dry overnight, then use 20-second icing to add eyebrows and a smile. I like to use a #1.5 tip for this.
If you’re feeling ambitious, use white 20-second icing to add a little twinkle to your star’s eyes. It’s a small detail but it packs a lot of punch.
Even if you aren’t a beginning decorator these cookies make wonderful filler cookies when you need to stretch that Dora platter a little bit further.
For those of you that are up to the Dora challenge, check out my list of common cutters that work perfectly for Dora cookies.
Remember, picking projects in tune with your skill level is a good way to keep the decorating process fun as you learn. While it’s always good to challenge yourself a bit, don’t pick something so tough you end up frustrated. The best thing about cookies is that even the simplest ones make people smile!
Thank you so much, I look forward to doing these tomorrow. I’ve only made two cookies so far but love it!
aw I love those:)
Thank you so much for this advice…and the cute cookies. I think we all find ourselves trying to “out do” the next decorator..to re-invent the next great cookie craze….and in the process….the joy that we once had for cookies, is gone, you get stressed, your health fails, and what was once a great joy, becomes a chore., and is no fun. I think we all need to remember…that is is JUST A COOKIE! Yes, we want them to look great, and cute..but in the end..it is a cookie to be eaten and enjoyed. Keep it Simple…that is what I keep trying to tell myself. A very timely post..thank you soooo much!
The cookies bring back such great memories of watching Dora! My son would get so into Swiper and the Map that I’d just have to sit and watch his face the entire time. Beautiful, Callye!
Great post, Callye. It’s such a relief to keep it simple sometimes, and these are perfect!
Aaaaah… Even if I’m happy to see my children growing, I feel a little bit blue of this period they were watching and playing with Dora …
Hi,
sorry this comment has nothing to do with this post but I was just wondering about the
KitchenAid giveaway. I’ve been checking everyday since valentine’s day!!!!
Who won?!?!?!?
For real, I’ve been wondering that myself. Maybe no body won? I don’t know.
Sorry it took so long to notify, I didn’t sponsor the contest or choose winners, I just hosted it. The names of the winners are at the top of this blog post…they have been notified by email. http://blog.groopdealz.com/794/
http://blog.groopdealz.com/794/
Hi Milena, the names of the winners can be found at the top of this post. Sorry for the delay, I didn’t choose the winners, so I had to ask. http://blog.groopdealz.com/794/
I did not win!!! it took soooo long to make up my mind about a color :o/
I was 200% sure I was going to win.
Thank you Calley!
AWE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I am sad you didn’t win!!!!!!!!!!!
Callye
We the beginners need a tutorials on how you make your faces on the cookies. What size tip do you use and how you get the brows and the mouth to look so good. I have tried and tried to make faces like you make them but I can’t get that look. we need your help.
Hi Barbara,
In this case, I just free-handed the face referencing a picture. If you use a smallish tip and 20-second icing, it’s fairly easy to maintain control. For more complicated faces, you can use the pushpin trick https://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2011/07/the-push-pin-trick-wfmw/ or use a kopykake projector https://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2012/07/using-a-kopykake-projector/. If you don’t feel comfortable with those options, I also recommend making a stencil from a printed image and using it to position the details. Hope this helps.
Adorable, Callye 🙂 I remember how much I appreciated tutorials like these when I first started!
These are so cute and your colors are so vibrant and fun. Love them!
Callye, these are sooo cute!!!
Even on a “simple” cookie you pay attention to all the little details down to the glint in the eyes. I am always in awe of your decorating talent!
Amazingly wonderful. Callye, I appreciated your talent so much and your willingness and ability to teach us the fine points. You are THE BEST!
I love these, now I’m hoping everyone will want Dora Star Cookies instead of Dora!!
un consejo querida señora como haré para que no le salgan tantas burbujas al royal icing podrá decirme ya que usted tiene tanta experiencia se lo agradecere
Hi! these cookies are so lovely and cute, I just adore the color combination, would you please tell mi which colors did you use for them? I’m starting on cookies decoration and trying to compose a color catalog for me to buy these days, I will like to include these colors 🙂 I´m learning a LOT from your beautiful work, thanks for sharing!
Hi!
I thought you might like to see what your readers are able to do with your instructions (found you on pinterest). I have read the instructions numerous times and I have done this.
http://www.apprentiemaman.com/images/IMG_2867.jpg
I am quite happy with what I did since it is my first time. How do you keep a steady hand? Do you rest your elbow on the table, do you sit down? You can see that I was shaking while doing this, but I think they look awesome nonetheless, thank you!
I love these cookies, so cute and the instructions are great. Do you have the recipe for the actual cookie? Thanks again for sharing
I’d like to know wich cookie cutter you used, because the star has rounded edges.
It’s a plastic star cutter, but I am not sure where I got it anymore. Sorry I couldn’t be more help. I’d try ebay.
cool
I too am curious which colors you used 🙂
Hi, I wanted to know if I could make the eyes using the 20 second frosting after letting the rest of the cookie dry as the eyes were done. Thanks!