Tidbits

How to Stencil Valentine Cookies

Posted by Anne Yorks on Tuesday, January 31, 2017

It's been a super busy week with cookie work and family fun, so the timing of this tutorial is perfect, because these are three QUICK and EASY designs! Quick and easy - my favorite ways to decorate cookies! :)

I love using stencils because they create very precise cookies. This video features several of our best-selling Valentine Stencils.

Check it out!

Are you new to decorating? Click here to check out our 'getting started' tutorials for videos on how to make royal icing, piping and flooding, and rolling and baking. Recipes are included in the videos!

A few airbrush tips that reduce blurring: 

1. Use a stencil genie. I have to admit, this is one 'gadget' that I love. It keeps that stencil in place and gives amazing results every time I airbrush!

2. Stay low. Keep a 2-3" distance between airbrush gun and cookie surface 

3. Aim at a 90 degree angle (pointing down at the cookie, not across) You definitely want to blow the color down at the cookie. If you aim across, the color can blow up and under the stencil.

4. Keep your airbrush machine on the low speed (helps control the amount of color coming out).

5. Go slow. Use very light pressure on the trigger and take your time

For more airbrushing tips - check out these two videos: How to use a Stencil Genie and Getting Started Airbrushing.

A few tips for STENCILING WITH ICING (like the cupid and Happy Valentine's Day cookies)...

1. Remember to keep the icing consistency stiff. This will help the icing to hold its shape. If the icing is too thin, the image will blob out a little bit. Plus, if the icing is too thin, the stencil will be messy (reducing the number of times you can reuse it). I can usually stencil 6-12 cookies before cleaning the stencil. 

2. Also, and this is very important, before stenciling with icing, I like to let the base layer of icing dry for at least 6 hours. This gives the icing a chance to firm up before putting any pressure on the surface. I normally wait 1-2 hours if I'm just piping details or airbrushing. But I have dented too many cookies by rushing. I find it best to wait 6 hours.

I like to use the royal icing scraper, but an spatula works well too. 

The stencils featured in the video are: XOXO, Scattered Hearts, Happy Valentine's Day, Arrows, and Cupid. (click on the stencil title to view each one in our shop or check out our full Valentine's Day collection HERE!)

Here is a good sample of what is in this collection, some really fun stuff! 

Looking for a little more stencil fun? Check out this favorite video from last year on created a rainbow heart cake!

This video features the Small Heart Stencil and the icing scraper

Happy Decorating!

Anne