Once you’ve mastered royal icing (a sturdy, shelf-stable icing), a whole world of creativity awaits! Today, we’re sharing our three favorite ways to use this versatile recipe. Before you start, find your cookie cut-outs, mix up a batch of royal icing, and dye your frosting with food coloring. When you’re ready, pick your favorite technique from below and get decorating.

Commercially-made icing bags (sometimes also known as “piping bags”) are expensive and often ill-suited for cookie decorating projects. If you need crisp lines and plenty of artistic control—all within a reasonable budget—then this quick project is perfect for you. Today, we’ll use waxed paper to create a custom-sized icing bag in 5 minutes or less.

Royal icing is the workhorse of the cookie decorating world. This three-ingredient frosting is shelf-stable, sturdy, and easy to make—in short, everything you want in an icing! You can stir a batch up in 5 minutes or less, including the time it takes to dye the icing your favorite color. It can be spread, drizzled, or piped onto cookies for a variety of effects from rustic to sophisticated. It’s hard to mess up this recipe; just stir until smooth, and be sure to use before the icing dries to a smooth, hard finish.

A good glaze technique is the foundation for any decorated cookie, but nobody seems to agree on which method is the best! Today, we’ll cover the pros and cons of two common cookie glazing methods, and then share our favorite process for a smooth, neat result every time.