This is my first time decorating cookies and i have all kind of questions...

1. What is the best icing to use? I want something on the softer side.

2. I want the neat clean outlined look. How do i get it? Do I outline with a piping bag? And then how do I fill the inside?

PLEASE HELP!

If you want a softer icing, you can use Toba's glace. I prefer RI because i feel i can control it better.

As far as outlining, you can use either icing. Some like to outline with a thicker consistency and then flood (fill in) with a thinner consistency. I use one consistency; when i dip a spoon into the icing and it takes 5-7 seconds to flatten out, it's ready.

Welcome to a new addiction!! No kidding once I crossed over to the dark side and learned some tricks and recipies for decorated cookies for the awesome artist here, there was no turning back! I could go on and on with stuff, but since you only asked 2 questions I will try to stick to answering those

1. What is the best icing to use? I want something on the softer side.

I use Toba's Glace, it is yummy, dries to a nice finish, is soft when you bite it, but sturdy enough for stacking and bagging. Few tricks to it though, it's really easy to make, but I always add at least 20 drops of white coloring to it before seperating it out for other colors and let the cookies dry in a not too cool environment.

2. I want the neat clean outlined look. How do i get it? Do I outline with a piping bag? And then how do I fill the inside?

I only use squeeze bottles, I think they are so much easier for me to handle when doing cookies, I save the piping bags for my cakes They can be a bit of a pain to clean but I much prefer them.

Depending on the cookie I like to do black outlines a lot, I like the cartoonish look it creates.

Then I just fill in my colors and add detail lines etc on top once they dry a bit. It completely depends what look I'm going for, sometimes I thin my fill colors a little, some times I outline and fill with the same color so I don't change the consistancy at all. I could go on forever, I hope you have an enjoyable first time and post your creations! Andrea

you use the bottles for all your detail work too?? sorry if this is a stupid question..lol..Im wanting to make some halloween cookie this weekend and Im wondering these same questions..

I am going to use Toba's Glaze, but it says add your own flavoring? Any suggestions? Thanks for all the help!

Depending on the detail work, I'll switch to a #1 tip, but for outlining and flooding, the squeeze bottles work great.

I usually use either vanilla or lemon extract as flavoring in glace. Lemon is my favorite. Almond extract works, too, but I really don't like almond flavor, so I don't use it.

I use clear almond and clear vanilla (both in the batch) from spices etc.

if you're looking for quick no hassle cookie decorating.......try using the cookie cutter you used on your cookies to cut out some fondant and lay it on the cookie as soon as it comes out of the oven, then within 10 min. you have a fully iced cookie ready for details. Using the same cookie cutter gives it a nice edge too since it's the exact shape as the cookie, there are no mistakes to be made.