Decorating Techniques: Glazing

The first step in glazing is making the glaze. If you missed that tutorial, go back and check it out by clicking here and then come back to this section.

Glazing cookies is an easy way to make your cookies look instantly professional. It gives your cookies that super-smooth look you're after. Here's how I do it:

1. Choose your desired color of glaze and stir well with a small metal spatula. Pick up the cookie with your left hand (or right hand if you're a lefty). Use the spatula in your right hand to scoop up some glaze and place it in the center of your cookie. Repeat a couple of times until you have slightly more glaze on the cookie than you think you'll need. Please note that it will take a few tries before you can judge how much glaze you'll need per cookie. You may just need to make an educated guess at first. Be patient with yourself!

2. Now that you have the glaze on the cookie, start spreading it out toward the edges with your spatula. Use your left hand to rotate the cookie as you're spreading with your right hand. Again, this will take practice. Give yourself a few cookies to practice on and be patient. You'll get it.

3. Add more glaze from the bowl if necessary and continue spreading. As the glaze approaches the edges of your cookie, you'll need to change the position of the spatula from flat across the top of the cookie to straight up-and-down with the edge of the spatula right up against the edge of the cookie. With the spatula in this position, scrape it along the edges of the cookie, wiping off the excess glaze as you go.

4. Once you have the excess glaze removed from the cookie, take one last swipe over the whole surface of the cookie (with spatula flat again) to smooth out any uneven glaze.

5. Set glazed cookies on a cooling rack or other flat surface and allow to dry for AT LEAST an hour before adding piping. If you live in a very humid climate you may need to wait longer. Waiting for the glaze to dry before adding other decorations helps prevent bleeding of colors.

Remember that the first few cookies you glaze will take you some time and may be frustrating, but keep at it. Soon you will be able to do the glazing very quickly, and I think you'll agree that it beats the hassle of any of the other methods I've seen out there.