Happy news! How Sweet is That? is sponsoring a giveaway here on Sweetopia, for two $50.00 gift certificates to her online cake, cupcake and cookie decorating store! You can win one or both gift certificates ($100.00) and you also have the chance to win this flamingo cookie cutter! Details on the giveaway are near the bottom of this post.
For the flamingo cookies here, the idea for the flamingo cookie cutter and design came from Mich Turner’s book, Party Cakes. The art teacher at my school drew a similar rendition, which I gave to Sherry of How Sweet is That, who had the shape custom made into a cookie cutter. How sweet is that?! Really. You can find the cutter here, along with a ton of other amazing cookie and cake decorating supplies.
If you’d like to make these too, I’ll share my basic cookie decorating techniques below, along with tips about each individual design such as cookie cutter sources and gel colors used.
For the new cookie decorator, my YouTube videos may be helpful to get you started.
Cut-Out Cookie Recipe and Cookie Cutter
I used sugar cookies as the base. You can find the recipe for the dough here. If you’d like to try a different cookie base, other recipes can be found here. The flamingo cookie cutter can be found in How Sweet is That’s store, here.
Royal Icing Recipe for Flooding / Decorating
You can find my favorite royal icing recipe here. The consistency of icing is key for easy decorating. Click here to see a YouTube video on finding the right icing thickness.
What You’ll Need for Decorating
For flooding basics, you’ll need:
- Piping Tips #1 & #2
- Piping Bags
- Couplers
- Food Gel Coloring*
* The gel colors used are; Americolor gel colors lemon yellow, soft pink mixed with a touch of super red, white and black.
Decorating Steps
This video on outlining and flooding is a good place to start if you’re new to decorating cookies with royal icing.
Step 1: Using piping tip #2 and white icing, outline the shape of the flamingo. Let the outline dry for about 5-15 minutes. Sometimes I outline and fill in immediately, however, for this cookie, I wanted a distinct looking white outline.
Step 2: Using tip #2 for the following colors, fill in the beak tip with a small amount of black first, the rest of the beak with yellow and then the main body with flamingo pink. I didn’t wait for one color to set before I flooded the next color, as I wanted them to mesh together a bit.
Step 3: Once you’ve let the pink flamingo body set for about 15 minutes, pipe the yellow base for the legs (tip #2). The yellow is intended to be a background color, so you could skip this step if you’d like to pipe the flamingo legs right onto the cookie surface.
Step 4: Let the first layer of icing dry for a few hours, or more, depending on humidity in your area. I have some posts in my tutorial section which deal with how to let icing dry, bleeding icing, humidity etc. if you need more information on that. Using piping tip #1 pipe two stick legs and an eye. Finished! Let your cookies dry and serve or package.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to drop me a line below in the comment section or on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
*
WINNER!
Congrats to comment #152, Miriam Biedermann, I will contact you shortly! Thanks to everyone for entering!
PRIZE(S) – CONTEST CLOSED
I’m thrilled today to be able to host a giveaway FOR TWO $50 gift certificates from the online cake, cupcake and cookie decorating store, How Sweet is That! Each winner will also receive the flamingo cookie cutter pictured in this post!
DETAILS
- This contest is International.
- The winner will be chosen randomly at www.random.org.
- The contest closes at approximately 7pm EST on Sunday, September 13th, 2015.
- Leave all your comment entries here, not on Facebook.
- The gift certificate will be in Canadian dollars.
- Please read all contest entry details etc. below
- More gobblydegook details about official giveaway rules can be found here.
HOW TO ENTER – CONTEST CLOSED
Do one of these options, do two of them, three or all – whichever options you prefer! {Complete all steps to increase your odds of winning}.
1. Just let me know in the comment section at the bottom of this post that you’d like to win.
2. Tweet this post and leave another comment here letting me know you’ve done that.
3. Share this post on Facebook and leave a separate comment here letting me know you’ve done that.
4. Pin this post, tag me in it (here I am on Pinterest), and leave another comment letting me know you’ve done that.
5. Share this post on Instagram and leave another comment letting me know you’ve done that. (Your Instagram username can not be private to use this entry because I won’t be able to see if you shared it).
6. Share this giveaway with your friends (via email, Periscope, Google+, whatever you like), letting them know to come back and mention that you shared this with them. If their comment gets picked, you will each win a $50.00 gift certificate and flamingo cookie cutter.
HOW THE WINNER(S) GET PICKED:
ONE comment will get picked for the winner, and if it’s a comment with only one person on it, that person will win both gift certificates and one flamingo cookie cutter. If the comment mentions two people, each of those people will win a $50.00 gift certificate and a flamingo cutter each. The more you share, the higher your chances are of winning!
Thanks to How Sweet is That? for sponsoring this giveaway!
Good luck!
xo,
Marian
Gabrielle says
I have also shared your giveaway on my Facebook cookie page.
https://www.facebook.com/cookiesbygabe
faigy says
I’d love to win. ..love her shop!
Gabrielle says
Ok. Now I have shared your giveaway on Instagram. Thank you once again for the opportunity. Now back to decorating cookies.
Frazac says
yes please!!i really hope to win!:)
Dorene Ghiglia says
I’d love to win
Dorene Ghiglia says
I shared on Facebook
Dorene Ghiglia says
I emailed two friends
Lilly Bouzide says
I LOVE Flamingos! I have Flamingo glasses in all different Tropical colors and of course in pink as well from 20 years ago. I have dishes that have palm tress to set the perfect table, placemats, and even Flamingo Salt & Pepper shakers. The cookie cutter is so cute for making the cookies as place markers in my table. Hope I win! Thanks for the chance.
Lilly Bouzide says
I Shared this wonderful opportunity on Facebook as well as emailed so non Facebook older friends. Good Luck to all.
Trinette says
I’d LOVE to win! 🙂
Jc Loh says
That adorable Octopus Fondant Cutter is on my wishlist so I’m super excited to win this, thanks so much!
http://www.howsweetisthat.ca/on-line-store.php#!/Octopus-Fondant-Cutter/p/40027337/category=5614926
Jeannette says
I would love to win… Thank you for the giveaway!
Jeannette says
I have pinned this post, and tagged you! Thanks!
Tamara says
I would love to win this! My best friend is pregnant and she loves flamingo’s so I would really loev to win this, for the babyshower!
Tamara says
I tweeted about your giveaway!
https://twitter.com/tamaart/status/641124766666125312
Tamara says
I’ve posted on facebook about the giveaway!
Teresa @Aurea's Kitchen says
I’d love to win…
Tamara says
I’ve posted on pinterest!
Tamara says
I’ve posted on instagram!
Marta says
I’d love to win!!
Stella says
I’d love to win! Thank you for the opportunity!
JoAnna H. says
I’d love to win and I love your website!!!!
JoAnna H. says
I shared this great post on Facebook! =)
niner @ninerbakes.com says
Yayyyy, aother post. Love these flamingo cookies, Marian.
Even though it has been rainy and chilly here, your flamingo cookies make me smile and make me think of summer 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway, I would not mind to win at all 😀
Love, xoxoxo,
niner
Carla S says
I would like to win!
Carla S says
I tweeted https://twitter.com/buddlakequilts/status/641187625152417792
Carla S says
I shared on G+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+CarlaShiver/posts/cpsAGpcNZem
Carla S says
I pinned https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361836151290554621/
nicole says
I would really appreciate winning this generous prize. I love making cookies for my kids.
Alida Button says
It would be awesome if I win this giveaway! 🙂
stephanie says
Oh wow!! I had not heard of How Sweet is That? (Haha, it sounds like a store Ina Garten would have!) I just spent twenty minutes browsing…awesome!! I must remember they give gift certificates when Christmas comes. I would LOOVE to win, but it would be hard to choose.
Jan says
I’d love to win!!
Cheryl says
I’d love to win! Please!
Patty says
i love the flamingos and I’d really like to win!
Jenny Mc says
OMG… These are beyond cute! Can’t wait to try them out! Would love to win a gift certificate- thanks for the opportunity!
Goreti says
I’ve decorating cakes for family for a few years now but only recently started decorating cookies. I have really enjoyed the cookies and it’s much easier on my back than trying to cover a cake in fondant. My decorating supplies are very limited and it would be wonderful to win this.
Leah M says
Oh my, these are adorable! Would LOVE to win 🙂
Jenny Mc says
Shared this awesome giveaway on FB!
Jenny Mc says
Pinned it too!
Goreti says
Pinned & tagged
Goreti says
tweeted https://twitter.com/gojopavao/status/641241941817036800
Goreti says
shared it on facebook https://www.facebook.com/goreti.pavao
Marguerite says
This flamingo is adorable, and I would LOVE to add it to my cookie cutter collection! Thanks for another great giveaway, Marian!
Tina says
I collected flamingos growing up and they still catch my eye and heart. I would LOVE to win the cutter and the gift certificate would be a nice bonus!
sandie says
I would LOVE to win!!
Debra Milam says
I would love to win your cutter and gift certificate!
Vanessa Jacobs says
It would be great to win this giveaway 🙂
Esther says
Awesome giveaway….would love to win!
Melina says
Winning this would be AWESOME!!
Melina says
TOTALLY TWEETED 🙂
https://twitter.com/CakeBakeEat/status/641295801235341312