How to Apply Disco Dust
Disco Dust
I’ve had many questions regarding how to apply disco dust. It’s no wonder why. ;-) I do use it a lot. By no means am I an expert, but I’ll share with you how I go about putting disco dust on my cookies. I hope you find my suggestions helpful.
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How to Apply Disco Dust on Cookies
1. Begin by cutting a small piece of parchment paper to work on. Make a crease in it by folding the paper in half. Lay the paper flat again.
To give you an idea of the parchment size there’s a quarter in the photo, however how big you make it really just depends on the width of your cookies and your preference.
2. Put the cookie on the parchment paper and gently shake the disco dust from the container onto the desired area of the cookie.
The key is that the icing has to be wet; put the disco dust on right after you’ve piped the icing.
3. Shake off or dust off the excess disco dust when the icing has somewhat set or until it has completely dried (safer). If you’re working in a humid environment though, gently shake them off right away. The moisture in the air can make them stick.
Do this by gently lifting your cookie, holding it over the parchment and container, and tilt it so that the excess disco dust falls back into the container and on the paper.
4. Take a clean paintbrush only used for this purpose and dust off the excess.
I like using a flat, fairly short brush, which I have in 3 different sizes. For small grooved areas use the smallest brush, for larger flat surfaces use the largest brush.
5. Remove the cookie and lift the edges of the paper together.
When the dust pools in the crease of the paper, pour the excess into another container. My recycled disco dust is poured into a different marked container as it’s only used for decorative purposes.
Shaking the paper gently also helps the dust fall into the crease.
Some is lost, however, I found that it’s the best way to preserve most of the disco dust.
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That’s it!
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There is another way I’ve done it, but it’s no longer my preferred method. I’ll share it with you anyways and you can try it if you like.
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Second Method – How to Apply Disco Dust
1. Cut out a piece of parchment paper a bit larger than the cookie (at least two inches larger all around), and then cut a hole in the center, about the size of the area you want to cover with disco dust.
2. Flood the area you want sprinkled with disco dust with royal icing.
3. Hold the parchment about 1 cm above the cookie, with the hole over the area you want to cover. Shake the dust gently onto the icing. The parchment catches the excess.
4. Take a clean paintbrush only used for this purpose and dust off the excess.
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More information on disco dust:
* For smaller areas I dip a paintbrush only used for food, into the disco dust, and then lightly onto the icing.
* My favorite color to use actually looks white. It’s called rainbow disco dust
* I should mention again that although it’s labelled as non-toxic and is sold as a food product, disco dust hasn’t been reviewed by the FDA. Until recently I thought it would be like the gold flecks in Goldschlager, however those have actually been FDA approved.
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Hope that helps! If you have any ideas you’d like to share I’d love to hear from you below in the comment section.
xo,
Marian
p.s. If you’d like to see how the snowman cookies were made, here’s the step by step:
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How to Make Snowman Cookies
1. Make dough. For a sugar cookie recipe see here.
2. Make and color icing. For a royal icing recipe see here.
3. Pipe the body of the snowman. I used my Kopykake Projector to help me trace the image (which is from scrapbooking paper by the way). Let that dry for minimum 5 hours.
4. Pipe details on snowman such as face and buttons. Let dry for a few hours. (Since they’re only small bits of icing it doesn’t take long to dry).
5. Pipe the scarf of the snowman. Add disco dust and shake off excess when the icing below has dried.
6. Put in bag with ribbon as desired.
Finished!
Thank you for sharing, have a sparkley New Year
Cute cookies! Thanks for the tutorial on how to put on disco dust! I’ve been wanting to use it for a while.
Quick question – it’s non-toxic, but is it edible?
It’s like lustre dust… it’s non-toxic and people eat it (I do, and let people know who are eating my cookies about it), and it’s fine; I just thought I should let you know that it’s not fda approved. Not to mean that that’s bad though… it’s a cake decorating thing. Not necessarily good for you, but food coloring or sugar good isn’t necessarily either (All in moderation is my view).
Thank you for showing different ways to apply this! Before I read this, the method I used was dipping a paint brush into the disco dust and then tapping my finger on the brush to shake it off onto the cookie. Your way is MUCH better!
Ally
Your cookies are ALWAYS so cute! I love these snowmen!!! Happy New Year!
WONDERFUL!! I love tips. Love love love tips. You do the BEST tips!!! I am slightly obsessed with your blog.
Blessings-
Amanda
ok these are WAY cute!!! I’m adding them to my “maybe you should try” file for next year!
~TidyMom
You are always so sweet and helpful. Thank you!
Yes, your cookies are little works of art! You icing is always perfect. Not too thick or not too runny! I think the snowmen are my favorite because of the sparkle! Keep up your beautiful creative work.
Happy New Year
Candylei
OMG!
It’s been so long since I have read your blog, it almost makes me sad… I have been so busy with Christmas and working like a mad woman that I forgot to come here!
Just saw your Christmas cookies and fell in love with all of them. I also envy those beautiful christmas ribbons you have…
Your work is perfect as usual!
hi marion…i just “found” you…lucky for me!
wow! i am truly amazed @ your talents & creativity.
i am learning the art of cookie decorating & your tutorials are great.
i’ve bookmarked sweetopia & look forward to your inspirational sugar art posts!
joyous & healthy 2010!
so sorry i spelled you name incorrectly…happy new year marian!
I absolutely LOVE Disco Dust!!! I have these Salt and Pepper shakers made by Coleman (made to take camping) that are great for Disco DUst! The holes are small enough for the Dust to go through, but not too big that it goes everywhere. One container holds 2 different colors and each section will hold one jar of dust. I like your method as well when you want a more concentrated look. Love your blog! Lots of great tips!
I want to know where to get Disco Dust in Canada… anyone know where? I’m located in Toronto, Ontario…
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to use it…a MUST for 2010!
Hi Marian,
I love your blog and the use of disco dust on your cookies. The sparkle makes the snowmen look so cheerful
Hi Marian,
Stunning Snowmen!! I Love them. I think the way you create a stunning picture on a simple circle cut out is so neat. I’ve never thought of that. I was wondering how you “flood” the snowmen. You pipe the outline with a Wilton #2 tip and then how do you fill it in? Thanks!
Thanks Rebekah!
Right after I’ve finished piping the outline, I use the exact same icing and tip and fill it in.
To fill in I just zig zag left to right until the whole shape is done. I have to work quickly so that the icing melds nicely together before it starts to set.
I have a detailed tutorial here and my top 10 decorating tips here if you’re interested.
Hope that helps!
i ♡ disco dust!! Thanks for the tutorial, I’m not quite so scared of it now. You are a cookie genius by the way!!
those cookies are very cute!
Thanks for all the sweet comments everyone!
I love your perfect icing works! You have amazing hands. And Thank you for sharing your beautiful art pieces.
I just ordered some disco dust for Valentine’s Day cookies!!
Thanks for the tutorial, I can’t wait to use it!!
BEA-U-TI-FUL! I can’t get the disco dust locally. Do you mail order yours?
Thanks for dropping by!
babskitchen, I do order it online and have it mailed to me.
I’ve just found your blog and it is FAB!! I live just North of Toronto so I recognize some of your references!! I LOVE baking and I’m very excited about your blog
Hi! I’ve just found your blog and it’s amazing. Loved your cokkies, your tutorials and tips. I’ve made a post about your creations on my blog. Keep up the good work!
this blog is a dream
I love everything you post, and th every best thing it doesnt end
I will spend so many hours and days here to read your lovely ideas…thanks for sharing
elif from Turkey
gorgeous cookies!!
thimbleanna steered me here.
can’t wait to come back!
Marian! Thank you for sharing this tip on how to put back the excess dust! I would have never thought of that.
Also, thanks for sharing the FDA approved dust.
Thanks Marian, love your gorgeous cookies!
Oh wow! Oh Wow! Oh WOW! Those cookies are so gorgeous!!! I love them! Thanks for the tutorial… I can’t wait to try it out!!!!
Your cookies are absolutely gorgeous ! I love the little snowmen and the luster dust you put on it ! Thank you so mush for your tutorials, you’re amazing !
I haven’t been to the site in a few weeks…so I missed these. As usual, they are just gorgeous. Such time and patience go into your cookies – you inspire me!
Hi Marian, I am getting ready to break out my disco dust. after you have applied it and the cookie has dried, why do u pour it into a separate container and not the original container??? Thank u!!!
Yes I do. Also make sure you pick out any crumbs that may fall into the container.
Happy decorating Danielle… I’d love to see pics!
I found your blog by googling ‘disco dust’ since I just bought some today. I love your blog! I have been decorating cookies for 25 years and I can still learn something new every day. Your tutorials and presentations of your ideas are really wonderful. Kudos to you!!
I love your blog! I have two questions if you don’t mind.
I was just wondering, how do you make your black icing?
Also, I use Wilton’s gel paste, but I find after a year it starts to get hard and unusable and I still have heaps left! Is americolor the same? Or does it last longer.
Thank you so much!
Tiffany, I use black Americolor gel – it goes a long way (although you still need to use a lot), and doesn’t seem to get hard over time like the Wilton gel, although I usually use my colors up before they have time to get old! I’d love to hear from someone else about that!
The Americolor gel comes in a squeeze bottle which isn’t huge so it doesn’t last forever either. It’s more of a liquidy gel than paste too, so the consistency is different.
Americolor seems to be a bit more intense than Wilton and seems to bleed less. I do like it better…
Hope that helps!
@ Marian:
Thank you so much! Keep up the awesome work! I have learned so much from you blog. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Where can I find the colorful disco dust in the US? Houston – more specifically.
Hi Joy, I’m not familiar with local bakery supply stores in Houston so can’t help in that department, but if you want to order it off Amazon from the States, click on my affiliate link… The first word in this post – Disco Dust.
These cookies look so amazing!!! I LOVE your work! Which icing recipe did you used for these cookies?