ICE CREAM CONE CUTTER

Coming up with designs for this cutter was easy when I positioned it right side up and upside down, but looking at it on its side was another story—until I thought about perspective. The Train might look daunting, but the shape of the cone gets you halfway there. It’s like a cheat sheet for learning how to paint in perspective.

The ice cream cone is a fabulous summer cookie. Try adding sprinkles to it while the icing is still wet.

ICE CREAM CONE

beginner intermediate advanced

MAKES 24

what you need

TO MAKE THE COOKIES

4-inch ice cream cone cookie cutter

Cookie dough of choice (here), prepared, chilled, and rolled out

Cooling racks

TO DECORATE

2½ cups Royal Icing (here)

Pasteurized egg white or water

Gel food colors: gold, chocolate brown, whitener, electric pink, neon green, bright blue

4 plastic or parchment piping bags (here)

4 #1 tips

Assorted paintbrushes

• 1. Make the cookies. Cut out 24 cookies from the dough. Bake and cool as directed.
• 2. Make golden brown lining and flooding icing for the cone; outline and paint in. Mix ¾ cup royal icing in a bowl with gold, chocolate brown, and whitener gels to make golden brown for the cone. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining to flooding consistency, add a little more whitener, and cover with plastic wrap. Using the golden brown lining icing, outline the cone, rounding the tip and leaving bare the top of the cone where the pink ice cream overlaps. Let set for 5 minutes. Reserve the golden brown lining icing. Using a paintbrush and the golden brown flooding icing, paint in the cone, thinning out the icing where the pink overlaps it. Let set for 2 to 3 hours.
• 3. Make pink lining and flooding icing for the strawberry scoop; outline and paint in. Mix ¾ cup royal icing in a bowl with electric pink and whitener gels to make pink. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. Using the lining icing, outline the strawberry scoop, making a wavy line where it overlaps the cone and leaving the top of the pink scoop unlined. Let set for 5 minutes. Reserve the pink lining icing. Using a paintbrush and the pink flooding icing, paint in the strawberry scoop, thinning out the icing where the mint chocolate chip scoop overlaps. Let set for 2 hours.
• 4. Make green lining and flooding icing for the mint scoop; outline and paint in. Mix ¾ cup royal icing with the neon green, bright blue, and whitener gels to make mint green. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. Using the green lining icing, outline the mint chocolate chip scoop, making a wavy line on the bottom of the scoop where it overlaps the strawberry scoop. Let set for 5 minutes. Reserve the green lining icing. Using a paintbrush and the mint green flooding icing, paint in the scoop. Let set for 1 hour.
• 5. Re-outline the scoops and cone. Make the waffle pattern. Using the reserved pink lining icing, re-outline the strawberry scoop. Using the reserved green lining icing, re-outline the mint chocolate chip scoop. Using the reserved golden brown lining icing, re-outline the cone, then make the waffle pattern on it by making diagonal lines spaced evenly apart going in one direction, then repeating going in the opposite direction. Let set for 5 minutes.
• 6. Make brown lining icing for the chips and draw on. Refresh the royal icing on medium low for 30 seconds. Mix ¼ cup royal icing with chocolate brown gel to make dark brown for the chocolate chips. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Draw the chips onto the mint green ice cream, touching the cookie with your tip and squeezing the bag, moving it around slightly to make irregular shapes.

TRAIN

beginner intermediate advanced

MAKES 24

what you need

TO MAKE THE COOKIES

4¼-inch ice cream cone cookie cutter

Cookie dough of choice (here), prepared, chilled, and rolled out

Cooling racks

TO DECORATE

4½ cups Royal Icing (here)

Pasteurized egg white or water

Gel food colors: super black, whitener, royal blue, leaf green, egg yellow, bright red, lemon yellow

12 plastic or parchment paper piping bags (here)

12 #1 tips

Assorted paintbrushes

• 1. Make the cookies. Cut out 24 cookies from the dough. Bake and cool as directed.
• 2. Make lining and flooding icings for the train cars. Spoon ½ cup royal icing into each of four bowls. Cover three with plastic wrap. To the remaining bowl, add a toothpick each of super black and whitener gels to make gray for the front of the train. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. To the second bowl, add royal blue gel to make blue for two of the train cars. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. To the third bowl, add leaf green gel to make green for two of the cars. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. To the fourth bowl, add egg yellow gel to make orange-yellow for one of the cars. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap.
• 3. Outline the cars and paint in. Position the cookie so that the point of the cone is on the right. Using the gray lining icing, outline the silhouette of the front of the train, including the light. Using the blue, green, and orange-yellow lining icings, outline the remaining train cars as pictured, butting up (see here) the lines that sit next to each other and making each car progressively smaller as you work from left to right. Be sure to leave enough space at the bottom of the cookie for the wheels. Using the orange-yellow lining icing, outline the two smokestacks on the top of the train. Let set for 5 minutes. Paint in all the cars in their respective colors with the flooding icings. Paint in the smokestacks with orange-yellow flooding icing. Let set until hard, 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
• 4. Make lining and flooding icings: pale blue for the windows and red for the wheels. Refresh the royal icing on medium low for 30 seconds. Spoon ½ cup royal icing into each of two bowls. Cover one with plastic wrap. To the other, add a tiny toothpick of royal blue gel to make pale blue for the windows. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. To the second bowl, add bright red gel to make red for the wheels. Spoon ¼ cup icing into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap.
• 5. Outline the windows and wheels. Using the pale blue lining icing, draw the windows on the train cars, making them progressively thinner as you work from left to right. Let set for 5 minutes. Using the red lining icing, outline the wheels, drawing the tops over the painted cars, making them big enough to touch the bottom edge of the cookie, and making them progressively smaller as you work from left to right. Outline the front wheel of the other side of the train. Let set for 5 minutes.
• 6. Paint in the windows and wheels. Using a paintbrush and the pale blue flooding icing, thinly paint in the windows so that they appear like glass. Using a paintbrush and the red flooding icing, paint in the wheels. Let set for 4 to 6 hours.
• 7. Make lining icings to re-outline the cars. Spoon ¼ cup royal icing into each of four bowls. Cover three bowls with plastic wrap. To the remaining, add super black and whitener gels to make darker gray for re-outlining the front of the train. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To the second bowl, add royal blue gel to make darker blue to re-outline the blue cars. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To the third bowl, add leaf green gel to make darker green to re-outline the green cars. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To the fourth bowl, add egg yellow gel to make darker orange-yellow for re-outlining the orange car. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip.
• 8. Re-outline the cars and make details. Using the darker gray lining icing, re-outline the front of the train, adding ovals to indicate the front face and the light. Draw the grate at the bottom so that it is attached to the train and touching the edge of the cookie. Using the remaining re-outlining icings, re-outline the train cars and windows in their respective colors. Re-outline the smokestacks with the darker orange-yellow lining icing.
• 9. Make red lining icing to re-outline the wheels; make yellow lining icing for the wheel details. Spoon ¼ cup royal icing into each of two bowls. Cover one with plastic wrap. To the other, add bright red gel to make red for re-outlining the wheels. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To the second bowl, add lemon yellow and whitener gels to make yellow for the center of each wheel and the light. Thin to lining consistency and spoon all of it into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Using the red lining icing, re-outline the wheels. Pipe a yellow dot in the middle of each wheel. Using the tip of the yellow icing, fill in the front light. Let set for 1 hour or until dry.

GNOME

beginner intermediate advanced

MAKES 24

what you need

TO MAKE THE COOKIES

4¼-inch ice cream cone cookie cutter

Cookie dough of choice (here), prepared, chilled, and rolled out

Cooling racks

TO DECORATE

4 cups Royal Icing (here)

Pasteurized egg white or water

Gel food colors: bright red, super black, whitener, copper (flesh), royal blue (or blue edible marker)

8 plastic or parchment piping bags (here)

8 #1 tips

Assorted paintbrushes

• 1. Make the cookies. Cut out 24 cookies from the dough. Bake and cool as directed.
• 2. Make lining and flooding icing for the face; outline and paint in. Mix ¾ cup royal icing in a bowl with copper (flesh) and whitener gels to make skin tone for the gnome’s face. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. Using the lining icing, outline the ears. Using a paintbrush and the flooding icing, paint in the ears as well as the area of the cookie where the gnome’s face will be, thinning out the icing in the areas where the hat, beard, and mustache overlap the face. Let set for 4 to 6 hours.
• 3. Make lining and flooding icings: gray for the beard and red for the hat. Spoon ¾ cup royal icing into each of two bowls. Cover one with plastic wrap. To the other, add super black and whitener gels to make light gray. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. To the second bowl, add bright red gel to make red. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap.
• 4. Outline and paint in the beard, mustache, and hat. Using the light gray lining icing, outline the silhouette of the beard and mustache, stopping the line at the top of the ears where the hat overlaps. Leave a little area of skin showing under the mustache and above the beard for the lip. Let set for 5 minutes. Using a paintbrush and the light gray flooding icing, paint in the beard and mustache, thinning out the icing where the hat overlaps. Let set for 1 hour. Using the red lining icing, outline the hat, going over the top of the beard and the face. Let set for 5 minutes. Using a paintbrush and the red flooding icing, paint in the hat. Let set until hard, 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
• 5. Make lining icings: red for re-outlining the hat, dark gray for the beard, skin tone for the face, and white for the eyes. Refresh the royal icing on medium low for 30 seconds. Spoon ¼ cup royal icing into each of three bowls. Cover two with plastic wrap. To the remaining one, add super black and whitener gels to make darker gray for re-outlining the beard. Spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To another bowl, add copper (flesh) gel to make darker skin tone. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To the third bowl, add bright red gel for re-outlining the hat. Thin to lining consistency and spoon into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Spoon 2 tablespoons of royal icing into a small bowl. Add whitener to make white for the eyes. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip.
• 6. Re-outline the ears, lip, beard, and mustache; make details. Make flooding icing for the nose. Using the skin tone lining icing, re-outline the ears and lip. Draw the inner ear and outline the nose, going over the mustache and leaving the top of the nose unlined. Let set for 5 minutes. Reserve the skin tone lining icing. Mix 2 tablespoons royal icing in a bowl with copper (flesh) gel to make slightly darker skin for the nose. Thin to flooding consistency; with a paintbrush, paint in the nose. Using the darker gray lining icing, re-outline the beard and mustache and draw lines on the beard and mustache to indicate hair. Make the eyebrows, holding the tip at a 45-degree angle and touching the cookie. Using the white lining icing, make dots for the eyes. Let set for 1 hour. Reserve the white lining icing.
• 7. Re-outline the nose. Make lining icing for the pupils. Using the reserved darker skin tone lining icing, re-outline the nose. Mix 2 tablespoons royal icing in a bowl with royal blue gel to make blue for the pupils. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. For the pupil, squeeze a blue dot into each eye or use blue edible marker. Using the reserved white lining icing, make a white dot on the edge of each blue dot. Let set for 15 minutes or until dry.

POSY

beginner intermediate advanced

MAKES 24

what you need

TO MAKE THE COOKIES

4¼-inch ice cream cone cookie cutter

Cookie dough of choice (here), prepared, chilled, and rolled out

Cooling racks

TO DECORATE

3¼ cups Royal Icing (here)

Pasteurized egg white or water

Gel food colors: bright blue, whitener, leaf green, lemon yellow

6 plastic or parchment piping bags (here)

6 #1 tips

Assorted paintbrushes

• 1. Make the cookies. Cut out 24 cookies from the dough. Bake and cool as directed.
• 2. Make light blue lining and flooding icing for the paper cone; outline and paint in. Mix ¾ cup royal icing in a bowl with bright blue and whitener gels to make light blue. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. Using the lining icing, outline the paper cone, stopping where the leaves overlap. Let set for 5 minutes. Using a paintbrush and the flooding icing, paint in the cone, thinning out the icing where the leaves overlap. Let set for 4 to 6 hours.
• 3. Make green lining and flooding icing for the leaves; outline and paint in. Mix ¾ cup royal icing in a bowl with leaf green gel to make green. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency, add a little whitener, and cover with plastic wrap. Using the lining icing, outline the silhouette of the leaves all over the bare part of the cookie, going over the blue paper cone. Let set for 5 minutes. Using a paintbrush and the flooding icing, paint in the leaf area. Let set until hard, 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
• 4. Make white lining and flooding icing for the flowers; make dark green lining icing to re-outline the leaves. Outline the flowers and paint in. Refresh the royal icing on medium low for 30 seconds. Spoon ½ cup icing into a bowl. Cover one with plastic wrap. Add whitener gel to make white. Thin to lining consistency and spoon ¼¼ cup into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Thin the remaining icing to flooding consistency and cover with plastic wrap. Spoon ¼ cup icing into a small bowl. Add leaf green gel to make the darker green and thin to lining consistency. Spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Using the white lining icing, outline the flowers on top of the green icing, keeping the tip close to the surface. Let set for 5 minutes. Using a paintbrush and the white flooding icing, paint in the flowers. Let set for 3 hours. Reserve the white lining icing.
• 5. Re-outline the leaves and draw in more; re-outline the flowers. While the white flooding icing sets, use the darker green lining icing to re-outline the leaves and draw in more leaves around the flowers, filling up any bare green spaces in between. Using the reserved white lining icing, re-outline the flowers, outlining the individual petals. Let set for 5 minutes.
• 6. Make lining icings: darker blue to re-outline the cone; lemon for the center of the flowers. Re-outline the cone and make interior lines; make the center of the flowers. Spoon ¼¼ cup royal icing into each of two bowls. Cover one with plastic wrap. To the other, add bright blue gel to make darker blue. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. To the remaining bowl, add lemon yellow gel and whitener to make bright yellow. Thin to lining consistency and spoon it all into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Using the darker blue lining icing, re-outline the blue paper cone, then make a slightly curved line along the length of the right side of the cone. Using the yellow lining icing, make dots for the centers of some of the flowers, squeezing the piping bag gently and moving the tip around in the dot for texture. Let set for 1 hour or until dry.