I have been using a brush to do the base coat on my cookies with royal. However, the results are too inconsistent as far the coverage and the edges don't always look neat.

Does anyone have suggestions on outlining and flooding efficiently? It seemed to take FOREVER when I did it before.

Also, how do I prevent the flooding icing from running over the outline?

If you have any other tips I would appreciate them! TIA!

Well, I'm new at this, but I think I can offer some help.

I use the Antonia74 royal icing recipe found here on CC. I use a #2 or #3 tip to outline. I use a squeeze bottle to flood.

I mix a batch of icing and separate it into several bowls, depending on how many colors I am going to use. I make one bowl of each color. I prepare a disposable piping bag for each color. I add some stiff icing to the bag - enough for the outlines. Then I add water to the remaining icing in the bowl, a little at a time, until I get my desired flood consistency. The first time I made my cookies, I used the 10 second rule, which means I picked some icing up with a spoon and drizzled it back onto itself. I started counting "one-one thousand, two-one thousand..." and if the surface became smooth by the time I counted to 10 (but not before) I had added enough water. I poured the icing into a squeeze bottle and started in the middle of the area and went round and round until I got close to the edges. Then I coaxed and moved the icing around with a toothpick until all the gaps were filled in.

However, I did have to do a lot of coaxing and it did take some time. And I had read that some people like runnier flood than others. So, the next time I added water until the surface of the icing was smooth by the time I counted to five. This allowed me to work much faster.

I found that if you barely bring the icing to the edge of your outlines, it will stay in place and won't run over.

I'm sure there as many ways to outline and flood as there are people who do it. I've always believed in "the right way, the wrong way, and the Kim way". Listen to others, watch others, then try it yourself and do what works for you.

And most of all, have fun!

DITTO !!

I use a squeeze bottle to flood and a tip 5 to do the outline!

Good luck and have fun!

HTH, Kim

The gal from Signature Sweet Shoppe shows in her videos that she just uses a spoon to slide the frosting around for the base. Works for her, after all her experience, but I tried it and am too uptight about slopping it around. I like the idea of the squeeze bottle - but only if I have a ton of the same color to flood. Otherwise I guess the simple bag with clipped end would work. I guess I'll keep practicing....it makes perfect, I'm told!

Hi Lenette~

I wrote a whole step-by-step article with photos for each process on the topic. I think it may really help answer some questions for you. My icing recipe is the consistency of white glue when wet, but it's soft and yummy to bit into when dry. You'll see!

http://www.cakecentral.com/article54-How-To-Bake--Decorate-Cookies.html

Just did some cookies today and I used the squeeze bottle for the first time. Loved it. Much less messy than the bags.

antonia74

Thank you so much on that amazing tutorial for the cookies. I have always struggles trying to get nice coockies that are iced smooth on the top so I always resorted to just simple piping setails and leaving it at that. next time I try cookies I will try it your way and see how I make out! Thanks again!

I'm a newbie(especially to cookies) and I just tried flooding for the first time. I was very frustrated with the way the thinned icing poured out of the bag and piddled all over the counter when I went to put it down. What an ingenious idea to use a sqeeze bottle for the icing! Maybe everyone has already heard of this hint, and it's a no-brainer most folks, but for this newbie, it was a huge revelation! Where would I be without CC? Thank you, thank you!

What kind of squeeze bottl are we talking about here? Where would I be able to pick one up? I would love to try this method as well so that I can find a method that works well for me so that I don't get so frustrated doing cookies...

I wonder if Michaels would have little squeeze bottles. Anyone else know for sure?

( This is crazy coming from me, because I actually work AT MICHAELS!!!) I think they (we) carry them in the art supplies, but I'm not sure.

Where did all you squeezers get your bottles?

yes micheals carries them I was there this morning and they have them in a nice tote.

I too love doing cookies. I just started the cookies and I prefer them over decorating cakes any day! I have not yet tried the squeeze bottles, but I have seem them at Michael's. They are in the cake decorating isle by all the chocolate and candy making supplies. I am going to try that for my next batch. As for keeping the icing mess to a minimum. I fill the bag in a drinking glass (like in the tutorial) and when I need to put that bag down, I lay it on it's side on top of a piece of wax paper. It helps a little.

I also had the problem of air bubbles in my icing. I put lots of floral decoration to cover the bubbles, but they're there. Do you have to sit with a pin and stab all your bubbles, hoping they won't show, or is there some other secret I don't know about?

Michael's does sell squeeze bottles in with the cake/candy stuff.

I've used the Wilton squeeze bottles quite a lot, but I just hate that you're so limited in tip size. Great for flooding, but that's it. I found these little bottles at Country Kitchen USA called SqueezeIt bottles. It has a sort of coupler on the top, so that you can use any tip size you want! I just ordered a couple of days ago, and I cant wait to get them in
Here's a link to the 8 oz bottle! I ordered both sizes...
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?T=2&ShopId=39&CatId=582&SubCatId=614&productId=619472

Wilton squeeze bottles work GREAT for flooding. I don't think I'd want to do much else with then. I feel like I don't have as much control. However, I just did my first large batch using the bottles to flood and I'm sold, 100%!

As for bubbles, I try to pop them with a pin or a toothpick. Sometimes they don't come to the surface until it's too late, but if they come up while I can get to them, I do. Honestly, I just don't see them as that big of a deal.

I got my squeeze bottles at Michaels before Christmas. They had a 2 pack for $1.99. I used a 50% off coupon and got them for $1. Here's a link to what they look like:

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E310280-475A-BAC0-5E93DEB3041892C7&killnav=1

Good luck on your cookie making. Make sure to post pictures.

Artsywest - I don't know if you do this, but to combat air bubbles, try to get out as many air bubbles as you can before bagging your icing. I mix my icing, let it set for a while for the bubbles to rise, run a knife throughit and tap, tap, tap on the counter to get more out. I use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles that still insist on showing up on my cookie, but not many do if I can get them out before I bag the icing. Hope this helps!

Thanks, Tracy, it's a BIG help! I see more cookies in my future.

Artsywest - I would certainly hope so!!! Your work is absolutely gorgeous!!

I outline and flood with the same consistency -- a slightly thicker flooding consistency. I've had no problems with lines and shaking the cookie gently gives it a "like glass" sheen.