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1st Birthday Owl Cookies

It’s hard to believe it’s already been almost 2 years since I’ve made these little owl cookies for my niece’s 1st birthday party. I had been meaning to make a how-to video on them, but had experienced a little trouble with the files so kept putting it off. After fiddling with the files one last time, I realized that the video wasn’t happening, but luckily I had taken photos of all the steps, so I’ll share them with you below if you’d like to give them a go.

My lovely sister-in-law, Julie, planned an adorable Look Whoo’s Turning 1 party for my sweet niece, Ella, and I was thrilled to make little owl cookie favours. Straightforward to make with a few key tips, and in my drawing-challenged case, with a Kopykake projector. If you’ve got some talent in the drawing department, you may not need the projector as the shapes are fairly simple, but for those of you that may need a little help, or if you’d just like to be able to make your designs faster, I’ve found a site with the best Kopykake projector prices around, on Madison Art Shop!

The adorable owl character is based on this party line here. It would be fun to hear if you’ve seen or made these too – let me know in the comment section below!

If you’d like to make the decorated owl cookies, here’s how to make them:

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Look Whoo’s Turning 1 – Owl Cookie Tutorial

Party Items & Image

Look Whoo’s Turning 1 Party Pack found here.

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Sugar Cookie Dough

You can find the recipe for the dough here. Using this owl image, I made a paper template of the cookie size I wanted, and cut the dough shapes out with a paring knife.

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Royal Icing Recipe

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.

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Decorating Steps

What You’ll Need:

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Instructions:

Step 1: Project your image in the Kopykake projector (tutorial here). Outline the owl shape with royal icing (#2 tip). For detailed decorating tips, this tutorial may be helpful for you.

Step Two: With the same icing, flood, or fill in the darker brown sections of your shape (Use a #3 tip to flood faster). Let that base dry for at least 6-12 hours.

Step Three: Using a #2 or #3 tip, fill in the eye sections with white royal icing. Let them dry for at least 6-12 hours.

Step Four: Using brown icing and a #2 tip, pipe the outlines of the owl beaks and eyes. Let them dry for a few hours.

Step Five: Flood the eyes first with blue, then immediately layer with black icing for the pupil, as well as a white dot of icing on top. Fill in yellow for the beak and pipe a small pink bow on the owl’s head.

Step Six: Between the owl’s wings, pipe a band of darker brown icing and lighter brown icing (#2 or #3 tip). Pipe them one after the other and then four horizontal lines of icing on top, and drag a toothpick through the lines, in the south to north direction. You’re essentially marbling the icing in one direction. Here are a few posts on marbling to help demonstrate:

Step Seven: Using a #1 tip and bright pink icing, pipe an outline on top of your bow base. Let your cookies dry and you’re done!

One thing to note, I ended up going a little bit too dark with the brown I think. I’d lighten the icing up a bit next time, either by adding more white icing to the brown icing, or by adding a dollop of brown icing to some white.

Another thing to mention, watch out for sweet-seeking, four-legged friends, if you happen to be photographing cookies sitting on a bench, and happen to leave for a few minutes to answer the phone.

Can you see which one my Lionel got a hold of?

Thank goodness I made extra.

I didn’t end up getting many pictures of the cookies at the party, but did snap a photo of Ella enjoying her smash cake. 🙂 (The actual cake was made by Bake Me a Cake).

Sweet thanks to Niner of Niner Bakes for editing and re-sizing my photos; she did an awesome job with them, as the lighting was pretty bad (an on-going struggle for me with food photography… still learning!).

If you’d like another owl cookie idea, I’ve got a tutorial for these guys, below, here:

For pics between posts, join me on Google+, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Happy decorating!

xo,

Marian

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Comments

  1. Happy Monday, sweet Marian,
    I absolutely LOVE these owl cookies!
    Your blogpost made me smile this morning before starting with work. Excellent start of the day!

    Ella is absolutely adorable and I am sure she just loved her cookies and cake to smash haha.. I would love to do that! lol

    Lionel has a sweet tooth, I wonder why 😉

    Wishing you a sweet start into the week, my dear.
    Much love!!
    xoxo, niner 🙂

    ps. always a pleasure to help out, your photos are so perfect though, you do not need any help 🙂

    Reply

  3. Hehe I hope naughty Lionel didn’t get a sore tummy from eating the cookie, tell him to stick to apple next time he wants a sweet treat

    Reply

  7. Hi @ niner bakes // ninerbakes.com: You’re being modest… the lighting wasn’t good – thanks again! (oh and yes, I wonder where Lionel gets his sweet tooth from!) 😉 Have a good Monday! xo

    You too, @ Rowaida Flayhan!

    Hee hee, @ Anneka Rubin, he loves apples too. 🙂

    Thanks, @ Janine – sugarkissed.net!

    Super, thanks so much, @ brantcookies!

    She definitely did, @ Mike @ Semi Sweet. 😉

    Reply

  9. love your owl cookies…. and Ella with Mom are very pretty.
    I’m sure your Lionel had a great time stealing a big bite….
    have a great week.
    ML

    Reply

  11. Marian: Love how the whites in the owl’s eyes match the sparkle in Ella’s. It’s easy to see why you picked that graphic. The “after” photo of her with her sticky hands is ADORABLE! Thanks for sharing. Happy Caking!

    Reply

  14. They’re awesome, @ Kris from So Cute Cookies! Thanks for sharing!

    Thanks, @ Maria Theresia, have a good week too!

    @ Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective: Merci!

    @ Deborah Stauch: She REALLY had fun doing that. 🙂

    Hi @ Afsheen: I piped the icing right onto the cookie. Here’s a basic video on how to pipe icing onto the cookie if you like;
    https://sweetopia.net/2012/02/video-how-to-outline-and-flood-cookies-with-royal-icing/

    Thanks, @ IFeelCook! Hope you’re doing well.

    Reply

  15. Hi Marian,
    You truly inspire me to make cookies. These are just too cute and adorable. I really hope one day I can at least come a little close to what you create.

    Reply

  22. Marian, do you let your icing sit overnight sometimes in the tubes? Do you find it keeps its consistency overnight? I’ve wondered if I kneaded it in the tube before use the following day if it would pipe well.
    Thanks,
    Martha

    Reply

  27. Awwww, love it!!! Time goes way to fast, hard to believe we are now coming up to birthday #3, what to do for that??;)
    Thanks so much,
    Julie n Ella xo

    Reply

  28. I bought myself a Kopykake 300XK for Christmas. However, when I opened it up and assembled it, I was disappointed that I could not really see my image in my kitchen. Do you use yours in a dark room? I haven’t tried that yet but will try this weekend in my dining room with the shades closed. I sure wish I would have purchased the model with 2 light bulbs. 🙁

    Reply

  29. No problem, @ ashley – baker by nature! 🙂

    Not weird at all, @ Gaby! I’m still a kid at heart and am thinking that if I haven’t changed by now, I probably won’t!

    Hi @ Martha Lander: Here’s a post for you… https://sweetopia.net/2011/01/how-do-you-store-royal-icing-and-how-long-can-you-keep-it/

    Ha ha, I know, @ Julie Bell! Let me know what theme you’re doing – would love to make something!

    Hi @ Sherrie: I compare the two models at the bottom of this post here; https://sweetopia.net/2010/06/decorating-cookies-with-a-kopykake-projector/ Hope that helps!

    Reply

  30. An owl theme is so gorgeous for a little one’s birthday. How talented you are with those cookies, they are absolutely amazing. It is almost like the napkin was cut out and pasted onto the top of the cookie! It is identical…so so so cute 🙂

    Reply

  32. I’m doing this theme for my daughter’s first birthday. Can you tell me where you found the cookie cutter?

    Reply

    • Hi Nicole, I hand cut them, sorry! You could use a large oval cutter if you’re pressed for time… a little less wing and ear detail, but it could work. xo

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