How to Decorate Cupcake Cookies

When I decorated the cupcake cookies for the Cupcakes & Hearts 1st birthday party the other day, I (with the help of Joshua on a few of them) took some pictures of the step by step decorating so I could show you How to Decorate Cupcake Cookies!

I know it will be a little late to make these for Valentine’s but these would be perfect for any cupcake-themed party!    Just remember you can change the colors and the sprinkes (or use no sprinkles) to fit your theme!

To do these cookies, you’ll need:

• Cupcake cookies* (I used the cupcake cookie cutter from the Wilton Party Cookie Cutters set)
• White Royal Icing, in stiff and flood consistency
• Hot Pink Royal Icing, in stiff and flood consistency
• Tiny Pastel Heart Sprinkles
• Jumbo Heart Sprinkles
• Plastic Squeeze Bottle for flooding
• Toothpicks (not pictured)

I have to start by apologizing for all the pictures being sideways… that’s a job hazard trying to take pictures while decorating cookies!

The first step for these cookies will be use royal icing (in the thicker consistency) to draw a cloud shape for the “frosting” on your cupcake.    Allow this to rest for 2-3 minutes I usually work with 6-8 cookies at a time, so by the time I get an outline on the last one, I can go back and start flooding the first one.

I use a squeeze bottle to squirt some flood icing into the center – not filling it all the way in or you’ll get overflow.  Then use a toothpick to guide the frosting out to the edges and pop any bubbles.

The white will need to dry for at least thirty minutes (up to an hour) before you do add any details to it, so at this point, I moved down and started working on the bottom of the cupcake!

Start by piping a pink outline for the liner, using stiff royal icing.

And again – go ahead and flood that area with flood icing in a squeeze bottle.

Again using the toothpick, guide the frosting to the edges, careful to get it into all the tiny corners.

Just be careful to not  disturb the white icing.  If you’re working as quickly as I did – it will still be wet and soft!

Now… you’ll want to let them dry for an hour or so (maybe a little less since the white has already been drying for at least a few minutes).

When you’re ready to work again, using stiff icing, pipe little “c’s” onto the white frosting.  This will give the frosting dimension and make them super cute!  There is no right or wrong way to do this!

While the icing is still wet, use a tiny dot of royal icing and add a jumbo heart for the cupcake topper….

You could also use fondant for this tiny heart, or make it a tiny cherry on top!

Still working quickly, gently add the tiny heart sprinkles to the cupcake.

Now you’re ready to finish them up!  Using stiff  icing,  add a line across the bottom of the cupcake liner.

Then draw vertical lines (with stiff icing) to complete the cupcake liner!

That’s it! Aren’t these just the sweetest cookies?   Be sure to let them dry overnight or at least 6-8 hours before stacking or packaging them!

Let me pause here and say again what I’ve said before – I’m not a cookie expert!   But if you’re wanting to learn more about cookie decorating, my number one suggestion would be to checkout Bake at 350 or buy Bridget’s book, Decorating Cookies!

Do you have any questions about these cookies?  Please leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer and help out!

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One or more links in this post may be referral and/or affiliate links.  Read my disclosure policy here.