How to Make Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies

Do you like playing guessing games? I hope so because I want you to guess what cookie cutter made these cute little guys. I think you’ll be shocked when you see and how the idea popped into my mind. Adding a heart to the set made these a must Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies project and I hope you get a chance to make them. If you don’t add a heart you can make the cute little sea cows any time of the year because they’re adorable.

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

Animal cookies such as these need a little airbrushing to push them over the top, but if you don’t have an airbrush system, don’t worry. These guys are cute with or without the added airbrushing details and I hope you make some for Valentine’s Day because it’s not too late.

Have you guessed what cutter made these cute Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies yet? I was holding the cookie cutter in my hand and I saw something on tv with a picture of a manatee and WOW! I saw it in a completely new light and I have to tell you, I love it when things like that happen. So, can you tell me what cutter was used to make them?

Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies Video:

Supplies List for How to Make Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies:
(may contain affiliate links)

Recipes:

Cookie Cutters:

Royal Icing Colors:
(These gel colors are The Countess Gel Colors)

  • Mushroom Gray– 10- Second Icing Consistency- You need to mix a light gray and a medium gray.
  • Dark Gray Icing- Thick Icing Consistency- Mix Mushroom Gray and a little Tuxedo Black to make a darker gray.

Tools:

Optional:

Airbrush System:

Airbrush Colors:

The Cookie Countess Airbrush Colors:

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

  • In case you’re wondering, it’s a chick cookie cutter! Once you make your cookie dough and start cutting out the chick shapes, trim off the beak before you bake it.
  • Turn it around where the back becomes the tummy.

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

  • If you want to make this cute couple all you have to do is out one chick from the cookie dough and flip it over on the baking sheet. Then cut out facing the same way as the cookie cutter. If you forget don’t stress because you can flip it over after it’s baked and then decorate. It won’t be a baked cookie with a smooth service, but it’ll work.

Let’s Decorate:

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

Add the pattern to the manatee cookie:

  • Trace your cookie cutters on a piece of paper.
  • Make two lines on the manatee’s back and make a line under the chin.
  • You can make the nose by drawing half an oval on the face and then draw a ‘c’ just below the chin.
  • Cut out the pattern and then use a food-safe marker to trace it on each cookie so they’ll look the same as you decorate them.

Outline and Flood:

  • Outline the manatees with the thick dark gray royal icing and let it dry for about 10-15 minutes.
  • Flood the manatee with the light gray icing and be careful to push the icing to the edge of the gray outline, but not over the outline.
  • Work in small areas and add the dots while the light gray is wet. Just be careful so the light gray icing doesn’t start to dry and form a crust. That will make a seam in the manatee and we all know they have wrinkles, but they don’t have seams.

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

  • Continue working the flood icing around the manatee and adding the medium gray dots as you go.
  • While the icing is wet add a candy eye, but if you don’t have a candy eye you can pipe one with white and black royal icing.
  • Let the manatee dry completely.

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

  • Trace the flipper on the manatee cookies.
  • Flood the snout and while the royal icing is wet add a medium gray dot on the nose.
  • Use a turkey lacer to pull the end of the dot down so it makes a nose.
  • Flood the ‘c’ in the arm and let it dry for about 15 minutes.
  • Then, flood the flipper.

Airbrush:

  • If you don’t have an airbrush system or if you don’t want to use it, this is what your cute Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies will look like when they’re decorated.
  • If you’d like to see how they’re airbrushed watch the video and you’ll see how simple the process is and you’ll see how to trace the design on the cookie so you’ll know where to outline with the gray icing.

manatee cookies, airbrushed cookies, creative cookie cutter, Valentine's Day

Here are your cute little Valentine’s Day Manatee Cookies. I know Valentine’s is close but you still have time to make these little sea cows!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Bear hugs,

Lisa