Simple Penguin Cookies
I made some simple penguin cookies way back in the day when I first started this blog. It was basically these simple penguin cookies, but you see, I have been thinking about remaking them for a long time only this time, I wanted to make them with Christmas colors and add some “fish-flakes” instead of snowflakes. I know fish flakes are what you feed fish, but what else am I supposed to call these cute little fish? Fishbones doesn’t have a nice holiday sound to it so “Fish-flakes” it is.
No matter how many times I make these cookies I enjoy every moment of it like they are the first cookies I’ve ever decorated. They are the kind of cookies that can make a girl happy because they’re so darn fun.
Supplies for Simple Penguin Cookies:
Recipes:
Gingerbread Cookie Recipe or you can use a Sugar Cookie Recipe
Royal Icing
Icing Colors:
15 Second Royal Icing in a decorating bag with couplers fitted with #2 decorating tip in the following colors:
- AmeriColor Super Black
- AmeriColor Orange
- Aqua-AmeriColor Sky Blue with a Drop of AmeriColor Leaf Green (If it is too dark you can add AmeriColor White or more icing to make it lighter)
- White
Thick White Royal Icing in a piping bag fitted with a star tip
Tools:
Penguin Cookie Cutter
Optional:
Fish Cookie Cutter
Small Circle Cookie Cutter
Small White Nonpareils
- Begin by making a batch of cookie dough and cutting out the simple penguin cookies.
- Place them on a wire baking rack and let them cool before decorating them.
- Once the cookies are cool, outlining and flooding the tummy and face area with the white icing.
- Outline and flood the hat with the red or aqua icing.
- Outline (don’t flood) the body with the black icing.
- Let the cookies dry completely or overnight before you move to the next steps. If you rush this step your icing colors may bleed together.
- Flood the body with the black royal icing and let it dry completely.
- Next, pipe a scarf by starting above the wing and continuing to the next wing and let it dry for about 10 minutes before adding the tails to the scarf.
- The first tail should start at the bottom of the scarf so it looks as if it is coming from under it.
- Let it dry for about 10 minutes so the top layer of the icing will dry and the scarf tales will look separated. If you don’t wait for the icing to crust over, it will look like one wide tail.
- The next tail of the scarf should be piped over the top scarf.
- Let it dry for about 10 minutes.
- While it is drying, add some wavy lines to the top of the hats.
- Once the scarf has dried for a few minutes, add the wavy lines to each section.
- With the thick white icing, add the trim to the hat. The star tip will allow you to make a design so have fun with it.
- Pipe the eyes with the black icing.
- Add two tiny nonpareils to the eyes. It is optional but I think it makes a difference by giving these little guys a twinkle.
- Add the toes and the beak with the orange icing and let the cookie dry completely before stacking or packing them in food-safe bags.
I first saw these fish on Pinterest. I am not sure if this is the original source but it is the only one I can find. If you know the original source, please let me know and I will add the proper link.
- Begin by outlining the face and eye with the white 15-second icing.
- Next, outline the tail.
- Add the line for the backbone and ribs. Add a dot to the end of each rib.
- Flood the tail and the head but don’t flood the inside of the eye.
- Let it dry completely.
- You don’t have to have a snowflake cookie cutter to make snowflakes. You can use circles and add snowflakes on top.
I hope you enjoy these fun simple penguin cookies as much as I do. Remember, if you ever get a request for the same cookies and get bored with the design, try adding some fun cookies to the platter to add a little fun and interest. I think I have another plan for these “fish-flake” cookies so don’t be surprised if you see them again like in this set of decorated polar bear cookies.
More Penguin Cookies:
Easy Penguin Cookies
Penguin Cookies
Pink and Purple Penguin Cookies by Glorious Treats
Winter Onederland Cookies
Penguin Cookies by SweetAmbs
Bear hugs,
I was surprised the fish backbone, ribs and eyes were done with 15-second icing. I was thinking that the backbone/ribs may spread and blend as one glob and eyes will close up.
If you outline the eye hole and let it dry for a few minutes you can use the 15 second icing. 😉
Those are so cute! You are amazingly talented! Thank you for taking the time to teach us how to make these little guys…
Thank you Karyn and you are welcome!
Wonderful!
Thank you Lisa!
PS-I like your name! 😉
;))
They are so cute!
Thank you so much Kate! 😉
So adorabl
Thanks Charlene! 😉
This are just so cute!! I have such a busy week, but now I want to drop everything and make these! =) Thanks for the link love too!
I love your penguin cookies Glory! They have always been one of my faves!
Merry Christmas from Tennessee! Wishing you all a Happy New Year! 😉
They are so cute! Great tip about the non pareils for the eyes, I’ll definitely do it next time.
I was planning to make more cookies tonight (can’t leave the tin empty, can you?) so no surprise if a few pinguins jump onto the baking tray!
Did you make the cookies yet Julie? I would love to see a picture!
PS-I use nonpareils in eyes all the time. They add sparkle without worrying about bleeding issues. 😉
Thank you Lisa. They are baked and ready to be decorated…
Here they are :o)
Thanks again for the inspiration and all the tips Lisa!
http://lanteriskitchen-sweetlittlethings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/christmas-2015-round-2.html
Your penguins are SO CUTE!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing the link with us!
Once again, another great looking cookie! Your descriptions of how to create ALL of your cookies are so well written that I get “tricked” into believing that I can do it, too. HA! My cookies don’t look nearly as polished as yours. I realize that you’ve been doing this a lot longer than I have, but how are you able to turn out cookies so impeccably perfect and neat? What are you doing to your icing to get your cookies to look “shiny”? I’m using the recipes you suggest under your “supplies” section…am I missing something? HEY! Wait a second…you ALWAYS use AmeriColor Colors! Could this be why your cookies are so shiny?! (I’ve been forcing myself to use up my jars of Wilton colors before I will allow myself to open my brand new AmeriColor Colors…should I just throw the opened jars away and donate those that are unopened?) Please give any advice, tips, or tricks you have up your sleeve, Lisa! 🙂
Hi Janis,
The trick to making cookies that have been decorated with royal icing is to place them in front of a fan as they dry. The fan will dry the top layer of the icing fast and will make it shine.
YEP! Getting shiny cookies is as simple as placing them in front of a fan no matter if you use Wilton or AmeriColor food gels! 😉
Let me know if you have any other questions or feel free to email me a picture and I will help any way I can!
Bear hugs!
Hi.
I am super late to this cookie thing, but I have found your blog to be VERY helpful and inspirational to get me started. I just tried your adorable polar bear and these simple penguin cookies, and I am having SO much fun with it all. Your posts are perfectly written to make even a neophyte like me successful. I, too, am having a bit of trouble with shine (and bubbles, and icing consistency – LOL), as they start out fantastic (I do use a fan and even tried the heat gun approach from one of your other posts), but I have found that after sitting overnight they dull quite a bit. I chalk it up (pardon the pun) to me being a newbie.
Thanks again for this blog and sharing your amazing talent with the world.