Sugar Realm, How to decorate cookies like a PRO!

I was a preached by one of our local TV stations to do a live tv demo on decorating cookies. It was a short notice deal, and I couldn't think about anything else to bring to the demo than some of the fall themed sugar cookies that I already had at hand!
There are so many wonderful cookie artist out there; their work is surreal and they are true experts in their craft.
I have to confess, that making cales are my main business and interest, and when it comes to cookies making I'm kind of a novice!...but that don't mean that I don't enjoy making super delicious and beautiful cookies!
Below you will find basically all I know about cookie decorating!...Hope you give it a try:)

Delicious and oh-so-easy Royal Icing!

Yield:
Icing to decorate approximately 4 Dozen 3" Cookies
Store:
Airtight at Room Temperature for one day
Up to two Months refrigerated
Up to 6 Months Frozen

Ingredients:
2 Pounds Sifted Confectioner's Sugar
10 Tablespoons Meringue Powder or Dry Egg Whites
3/4 cup room temperature boiled water
2 Teaspoon Vanilla extract or 
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract + 1 Teaspoon Favorite Flavoring (Liqueur or Extract)
1/8 teaspoon Table Salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and whisk until all ingredients are well combined. Add wet ingredients. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix on slow speed for 4-5 minutes. Slow speed will prevent incorporating air into the icing.

To prevent Royal Icing from crusting, always store on an air tight container, with a layer of plastic film touching surface of icing.

This recipe produces a medium to stiff icing consistency.

I always save a container with the  icing consistency that comes out of the mixer, which is medium to stiff consistency.My preferred method to stiffen any fluid icing,  is to add a couple of tablespoons of stiff icing. 
Alternatively, a simple and quick fix to stiffen the consistency of your icing is by adding a bit of confectioner's sugar until desired consistency is achieved.
Add water or any liquid flavoring of your liking to your icing to achieve a more fluid icing consistency.

Icing Consistency: Stiff, Medium and Flow

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Food Safety: Decorating with raw egg whites

Meringue Powder and Dry Egg Whites are my go to choice for Making Royal  Icing; the reason being food safety. Both ingredients have already been pasteurized; which prevents the risk of foodborne illnesses, like Salmonella.
Fresh egg whites can also be used, if and only if, they come from pasteurized eggs.
Cookies decorated with royal icing, have a long shelf life, up to 6 weeks when properly stored in an airtight container.
I have discovered that metal tins are the type of container that better preserves iced cookies.
It is always a good idea to wrap decorated cookies in a cellophane bag.

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Decorating with Royal Icing: Simple "wet-on-wet" Technique!

Icing consistency

Icing consistency is critical to creating wet-on-wet, flood icing cookies.
To test the consistency of your icing, insert a toothpick on a small container with royal icing.
Stiff consistency icing will hold toothpick vertically.
 Medium consistency icing will hold toothpick in place for a few seconds, before it starts to fall to the sides of the container.
Flow consistency icing, will not hold toothpick in place.

To color your icing

To color icing, use gel coloring and with a toothpick, add small amounts of color, until desired color is achieved. Keep in mind that some icing colors darken up to one shade when dry.

Creating an icing "dam"

Beginners: Using stiff consistency icing, start by piping a dam around the cookie. Let dry for 20 minutes before piping icing center. 

Advanced: Pipe icing dam using flow consistency, and immediately flood cookie with flood consistency icing. The benefit of doing this, is that the icing dam will fuse with your center icing, creating a seamless border.

Flood your cookie

To create a background to your cookie, fill a piping bag or  plastic bottle, with flood consistency icing. Using a pastry tip #3, pipe icing over cookie, trying to slightly cover icing dam.

Create your designs

With medium consistency icing, and while icing background is still wet, create your design by piping icing over wet background icing. Depending on the weather, you may have approximately 50 seconds to complete your designs. After 50 seconds, icing will start to crust.

Dry, Finish & Package your decorated cookies!

Flood Icing cookies require 24 hours to fully  dry.
After cookies are completely dry, you may pipe a decorative border around them, and even overpipe additional designs.
All left is to package & share and enjoy your gorgeous cookies!