Rainbow Cookies!

I'm re-posting these rainbow cookies because I wasn't completely satisfied with how they looked yesterday. They didn't seem to be quite finished but I couldn't figure out why. I decided to try adding a white outline on top of the original one. This made a huge difference. The design looks cleaner now and the white outline frames the colors and makes them pop out more. So, it was worth it to take that last step!

 

 

 A few days ago I set up a new Facebook group called "Cookie Decorating Group!". To start things off, I suggested to members that we have a Saint Patrick's Day theme. So, for this event, I decided to make these rainbow cookies. Here's the link to the "Cookie Decorating Group!" https://www.facebook.com/groups/cookiedecorating/ Please join me and my fellow enthusiasts! I'm hoping that our group will keep growing and that it'll eventually be filled with wonderful creative cookie creations.

Here are the steps in a nutshell:
1) Baked some simple sugar cookies (one dozen). 
2) Made a white outline of the design with royal icing. 
3) Filled in the empty areas with the colors. 
4) Outlined the rainbow and cloud again with white icing. 

Used a pastry bag, a no. 2 tip, and a thicker consistency of royal icing to make this outline.

Now make 5 lines for the rainbow.

For flooding the shapes, use a pastry bag with the tip cut off (just a little). For this step, use the thinner consistency royal icing.

 

Suggestion: Before adding colors, I tested my colors on small portions of icing until I got the colors that I liked. Then start mixing the larger portions.

These are the colors that I used:

Red and green - Regular McCormick Assorted food colors. The next time I would use red icing color though. I had to add a lot of drops of red which threw off the consistency.

Blue - McCormick Neon food color. This is brighter than the regular McCormick blue. For the light blue, add color to icing carefully and gradually with a toothpick so it doesn't get too dark too fast.

Purple - Icing Color "Violet" or Wilton Gel Food Color "Purple". Add color to icing carefully with a toothpick because it's very concentrated.

Yellow - Icing Color "Lemon Yellow". This is a light fresh yellow that doesn't have too much orange in it.

Use a toothpick to fill in the tighter corners. Tip: To get rid of bubbles, just move the toothpick across it. Poking tends to just move the bubble around.

 

 

I started using a no. 3 tip, with a coupler, to fill in the rest of the colors. It was easier to get into the corners.

Adding the final outline on top really helped to make the lines cleaner and the colors pop.

Almost finished...

 

DONE!