How to Airbrush Plaid Cookies

When I started decorating cookies I would get frustrated because living in a humid climate isn’t ideal for working with royal icing. I would see beautiful cookies on the internet that had patterns that I wanted to make. The only problem is when I would make them, the colors would bleed and the cookies would look bad by the time the icing dried. Over time I learned how to adjust but I really wish stencils were around back then. It makes decorating so much simpler with a lot less worry. Take these plaid cookies for example. I made them with one color of icing and two different stencils. Base your cookies and let it dry, airbrush your plaid colors on and go to sleep without worrying about the colors transforming into a giant mess when you wake up. When decorating cookies, I like to keep things simple and airbrushing helps me sleep better at night. I am so glad that flannel is making a comeback. If you are going to make a set of woodland cookies, try adding a few plaid cookies to make the platter feel warm and cozy. I know I couldn’t resist one.

Supplies for Plaid Cookies:

Recipes:
Sugar Cookie Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe
White Icing fitted with #2 decorating tip

Tools:
Stencils-Diagonal Wide Stripe and Diagonal Thin Stripe 2
Duff Airbrush System or Here
Airbrush Colors-Dinkydoodles Red Matt and Black Matt or you can use AmeriMist Red and Black
Stencil Genie or Magnets
Optional DIYAirbrush Cleaning Pot

I used Dinkydoodle Airbrush Colors on the star cookies because I wanted the look of flannel, but you can use AmeriMist or any brand you want. The reason I choose the Dinkydoodles is because I wanted the cookies to have a matt (not shiny) finish to look more like real plaid. It is funny because I spent a long time trying to learn how to dry cookies so they would have a nice shine and now I want matt cookies. LOL

I get a lot of questions about that pink frame I use when stenciling cookies. It is one the best cookie tools I own! It is called The Stencil Genie and it is a brilliant invention by Ginny over at The Creative Cookier.

All you do is place your stencils inside the frame and it will hold them in place while you airbrush or stencil with royal icing. LOVE IT! You can find out more about it in this post Stenciling Cookies with an Airbrush.If you don’t have a stencil genie you can use magnets. Hillary at The Cookie Countess has a great video tutorial called Airbrushing Decorated Cookies where she will show you exactly how to use the magnets when decorating cookies.

For now I am going to use the stencil genie. Once you place your stencil in the stencil genie move it around to get the pattern positioned where you want it on your cookie. Since this is a diagonal stripe, turn it to the side so it will resemble plaid.Add the airbrush color the cup of the gun and start spraying while holding the gun at a 90° angle while  moving the airbrush gun in a circular motion. Don’t stop the gun while holding the trigger or you will get a runny messy spot on your cookie.

Also, be careful not to over fill the cup with the color or it will spill out onto your cookies or work surface. I haven’t quite got the hang of that tip yet. 😉Continue until you get the coverage you want. It does take more of the Dinkydoodle color than the it does the AmeriMist color and the Dinkydoodle is more expensive. I honestly won’t use them all the time but with some cookies and patterns it helps achieve the perfect look I am trying to create.

I love those perfect lines.

Next, place the stencil in the opposite direction of the first lines you created.

Airbrush until you get the coverage you want.

Next, add theDiagonal Thin Stripe 2 stencil and line it up so the thin line is in between the wider stripes. It might be hard to see if you don’t wash off the stencil like I didn’t do here. The black line is a little off but that is alright. It’s a cookie. Repeat the thin diagonal stripe in the opposite direction.

Now look at your beautiful plaid cookies. I am going to make these again soon and I am going to try to add another color. You can always Google plaid and flannel to find a pattern you want to create.

I hope you try making patterns on cookies. Airbrushing is a great way to add some stress free cookies to your platters.

Bear hugs,