15 Decorating ideas to turn your cookies into something special

Using the flooding technique makes this elaborate frosting design a cinch.

You can use frosting to decorate, but as glue, it allows you to make all sorts of 3-D stacked cookie creations.

For custom cookie creations, make sprinkles at home in every color your heart desires.

Sprinkles can add realistic texture to your cookies, emulating everything from pine needles to snow.

Dip whole cookies, or just a corner, into chocolate. They’ll look super luxe and taste amazing too.

Stained glass (aka melted crushed hard candy) is a super-easy way to make your cookies stand out. 

Even simple drop cookies look fancier when sandwiched with a dollop of frosting.

Roll icebox cookie dough in crushed nuts, sprinkles or coarse sugar before slicing for a pretty effect.

With this technique, the decoration is the cookie dough itself. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked.

Use rubber stamps, the bottoms of fancy glasses and other materials to stamp designs into your dough.

Edible gold dust, glitter and even edible gold spray paint will make any cookie look glamorous.

Use a doily or piece of lace as a stencil with powdered sugar for a delicate design.

Use stencils to paint precise designs in royal icing on your cookies. Contrasting colors really pop.

Sometimes a drizzle of glaze is all a cookie needs to look fabulous.

Cut shapes out of fondant, candy or Fruit Roll-Ups to give your cookies a 3-D appearance.