I am planning on making and decorating cookies next week for my daughter's birthday.

I have never decorated cookies before, and was wondering what was best? Fondant or Royal Icing? Which is easy to use, and which looks the best?

I've decorated cakes with both, so am happy to use either.

Thanks!

I think it's really just a personal choice. I started with just RI and now I use fondant as my base and pipe details with RI. My designs are simple, so a fondant base works well for me. Some designs really need to be made in RI because they are more intricate.

I agree with MICHELLE it´s a matter of taste. I think that using fondant is easier and takes less time. Both look nice.

when I make my cookies soft and chewy I like to cover in fondant.......I also use fondant when I don't wanna wait for my base color to dry or when someone places an order and doesn't leave enough time for royal to dry LOL......I agree with michelle.....some cookies are too intricate for mmf as the base....I guess it all depends on taste and design

I agree with the others. I have worked more with RI but then the last time I did cookies I used mmf. It was so much easier & quicker! I will probably use mmf on the next cookies too I like putting the mmf on the cookies before they cool off so it melts some. I forgot to put the mmf on some of my cookies before they cooled & I didn't like that look as much. Happy Baking!

depends on how you want to decorete them...i love using mmf..it is quick and easy...however royal looks great to...just depends...what kinda cookies you making????

It's another opinion, I've read once in a website from a lady who is working with cakes & cookies for more than 40 years that the RI takes the moisture out of the cookie, so what I do is decorate the cookie with TOBA's Glace` Icing then draw the details with the RI, and I have tried to apply the glace on the cookie using a brush or just to spoon it after I add some milk, but the best ever way was to pipe it, yes it takes more time but it prevents the air bubbles & it keeps the shine of the glace`, hope it helps

I decorate cookies all the time and prefer decorating them to cakes. I have only every used royal icing and have been extremely pleased. Depending on what you want to decorate them like an easy way to do it (and involve kids) is to get the food coloring pens. Ice the cookie in royal icing and let dry several hours or overnight, then let them decorate away. We have done alphabet letters and birthday numbers (age of child) this way and its been a lot of fun.

One other tip for cookie decorating.. I always try to use some medium (sparkle glitter, painted on dusting powser, fine sugar, coarse sugar, jimmies) on top of the royal icing to give it some depth and texture.

Good luck!

Thanks for all your replies.

I was hoping to make cookies in a 'gift box' shape, but left it too late to buy one. Could not find one locally, and did not want to buy just one cookie cutter off the internet. I will wait to see if I like decorating cookies before I buy lots of them!!!

So, I with either make a flower or heart shape one, with 'Thank you' written on them. I'm making them for my daughter's birthday party and thought I would put a cookie in each of the party bags as the children leave. That way, we've said Thank You without forgetting anyone!!!!!!!

It's early in the morn and my brainis not working............do you have a square cutter? I always just use the square for my gif boxes. Use the mmf for the base and then use royal for the bow/ribbon. Simple, easy and people have requested them over and over.

Thanks Cakeatopia - I hadn't thought of that! Might have to go and buy a square cutter!!