30 Cookie Design Ideas with 1 Cookie Cutter
Few weeks back I challenged myself to create 30 creative cookie designs using just one cookie cutter shape. I love cutters that are versatile and have more to offer than just one design. Today I’m going to show you how to create cute character cookies, animal cookies and even a human heart.
JUMP TO TUTORIAL | TOOLS AND RECIPES |PIN IT for later
And that is why I turned to a Strawberry Cutter from Sweet Sugarbelle. Callye’s cutters are so cleverly designed. With multitasking in mind. And this Strawberry Cutter is really brilliant.
This project wouldn’t be possible without you my Instagram (follow me on Instagram) friends. You came up with the most creative design suggestions. I asked you what you saw looking at this shape and you had so many cute ideas.
For example : Human Heart, Campfire, Pineapple, Spaceship, Bunch of Carrots, Piping Bag. Or character cookies such as Kermit the frog, Hermit Crab, Mario Bros characters (including Princess Peach). Or Chimpunk, Jelly Fish, Goldfish, Octopus and many more and I also had a few ideas of my own.
STRAWBERRY COOKIE CUTTER
As I mentioned earlier I used a Sugarbelle’s Strawberry Cookie Cutter. Bellow is a picture of a cutter I used. If you can’t get your hands on this particular cutter it’s okay. I think you can utilize any strawberry cutter. They are really very similar in shape.
CHARACTER COOKIES
Bellow you’ll find picture tutorials of some of my favorites as well as yours from this project. I also filmed each cookie being decorated so in case design you like is not in the pictures below you can view it in the video.
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Paddington Bear Cookies
- Chewbacca Cookies
- Raspberry Cookies
- Campfire Cookies
- Spaceship Cookies
- Hermit Crab Cookies
- Human Heart Cookies
- Submarine Cookies
- Flamingo Cookies
- Goldfish Cookies
- Strawberry Cookies (tufting technique)
- Carrot Cookies
- Chipmunk Cookies
- Flower Pot Cookies
- Mario Bros Toad Cookies
- Pineapple Cookies
- Kawaii Carrot Cookies
- Tools and Recipes
TO MAKE THE COOKIES I USED :
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe or you can use Gluten Free Cookies or Vegan Sugar Cookies (with Vegan Royal Icing)
- Fresh Lemon Royal Icing to decorate.
PADDINGTON BEAR COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Brown, Tan, Red – 15 second consistency
- Royal blue – 15 second consistency, 20 second ( coat collar)
- Black – piping consistency (outlines), 20 second (nose and eyes)
- Ivory – 20 second (coat buckle)
DECORATING STEPS :
- Flood the head with brown and shape the icing on the sides with a needle tool. Then immediately pipe tan muzzle into the center and blend icing into the brown icing with a needle tool. Let crust.
- Flood the bottom with royal blue and hat with red icing. Let crust. And then add a blue collar and another layer of red on the bottom of the hat. Let icing dry overnight.
- Finish by piping eyes, nose.
- Draw the eyebrows and facial features using a black fine tip edible marker.
- Outline with black royal icing.
CHEWBACCA COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Brown – 15 second, piping consistency (fur lines)
- Black – 15 second (eyes), 20 second (nose)
- White – 20 second (teeth and eyes)
DECORATING STEPS :
- Brush a thin layer of black icing in the mouth area. Let dry. Then with an edible marker draw the outline of the mouth. It it better to make it a little bigger so it doesn’t end up too small once you add the brown icing around.
- Pipe the teeth with white royal icing. Let teeth crust before piping a tooth next to it.
- Outline the mouth and flood the cookie with brown icing. Distribute icing with a needle tool. While brown is wet pipe black eyes, shape them with a needle tool. Let dry.
- Finish eyes with white icing and pipe the nose with black.
- Pipe fur with brown icing.
RASPBERRY COOKIE
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES
- Dark Reddish Pink – 25 to 30 second
- Light Pink – 25 second to 30 second
- Green – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw outlines with an edible marker.
- Pipe the stem, and leaves. Letting the stem crust before piping neighboring leaves. Use a needle to shape the leaves. Let crust.
- Pipe raspberry seeds : first pipe a large round with dark reddish pink. Then pipe a small amount of light pink into it. Use a needle tool to marble 2 colors. Let each seed crust before piping a seed next to it.
CAMPFIRE COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Brown – 20 second, piping consistency (to outline, but you can get away with using 20 second, too.)
- Ivory – 20 second
- Red, Orange, Yellow – 15 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw the design outlines on a cookies.
- Pipe the log outlines with brown. Fill the oval sections with ivory and then add a dot of brown in the center. Blend the brown into ivory in circular motion. Let crust.
- Fill the logs with brown, let logs crust before flooding neighboring logs. Let crust.
- Make fire : flood fire section with layers or red, orange and yellow icing. Shape and blend icing with a needle tool. Let dry.
- Outline logs with brown royal icing.
SPACESHIP COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Dark Gray – 20 second, piping consistency (piped lines across the bottom section)
- Light Gray – 20 second
- Sky Blue – 20 second
- Red, Orange, Yellow – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw design outlines on a cookie with an edible marker.
- Flood sections with red, blue, dark and light gray in steps. Letting each section crust before flooding a section next to it.
- Pipe details on crusted icing with piping consistency icing.
- To make fire : layer red, orange and yellow icing and then with a needle tool shape and blend the icing.
- Pipe dots with 20 second consistency.
HERMIT CRAB COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Light Blue, Purple – 15 second
- Red – 20 to 25 second
- White, Black – 20 second
- Ivory – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw the design outlines on a cookie with an edible marker.
- Flood every other shell section with blue and then pipe purple lines across. While icing is wet blend purple into blue with a needle tool. Let crust and then repeat with the neighboring sections. Let dry overnight.
- Create more depth by deepening the seams between shell sections. Use a brown edible and draw the line in the crease. Then blend the line in with a very lightly moisten food only paint brush. Repeat on all the seams.
- Flood the bottom with ivory icing, crust well.
- With red pipe the hermit crab : head, legs claws. Legs and claws are piped in section. Letting each section crust before adding a section next to it.
- Make the eyes : on a piece of wax paper pipe white dot and then pipe black in the center. Let dry. Peel of the wax paper and attach eyes onto the red head. Pipe the mouth with black.
- Pipe small dots to create texture. Let dry.
- With a food only paint brush apply a thin layer of ivory on the bottom section. Immediately dust the area with finely crushed graham crackers. Repeat on the shell.
HUMAN HEART COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Deep Red – 15 second, 25 second (to pipe the veins)
- Light Red, Ivory – 20 second
- Pink – 20 second, piping consistency (for outlines)
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw design outlines on a cookie with a brown edible marker.
- Pipe small oval sections.
- Flood the bottom ventricles with deep red, let crust.
- With pink pipe left and right pulmonary arteries. Shade icing by piping some ivory into the pink and blend it with a needle tool. Let crust and then flood the aorta in the middle. Let crust.
- Flood right and left atrium with light red icing. Marble section with dark red icing.
- Outline pulmonary arteries and aorta with pink icing.
- Pipe the veins with deep red icing.
SUBMARINE COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Light Gray, Dark Gray, Royal Blue, Orange – 20 second
- Sky Blue – 20 second (moisten a brush when applying on a thin layer onto the cookie)
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw design outlines on a cookie with an edible marker.
- Brush a thin layer of blue in the window area. Let dry.
- Flood sections with light gray, royal blue, orange and sky blue. Flood sections in steps, letting each section crust before flooding a neighboring area.
- Outline with dark gray and pipe the dots.
FLAMINGO COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Pink – 15 second
- Yellow – 20 second
- Black, White, Light Gray – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Flood the pink area and let crust well. 1 hour.
- Flood the crown with yellow. Let dry.
- If needed trace the glasses outline onto the icing with a small pin or a needle tool.
- Pipe the black outline for the glasses. Then layer black, light gray and white inside the frame. Blend icing with a needle tool.
- With edible marker draw the beak outline on pink icing. Flood the beak with white and black royal icing, shape icing while still wet.
- Outline crown with yellow icing, attach decorative pearls or dragees.
GOLDFISH COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Yellow – 15 second, piping consistency ( mouth, piped scalloped lines)
- Orange – 15 second
- White, Sky Blue, Black – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw design outlines with an edible marker.
- Flood the front the yellow and orange icing. Marble icing with a needle tool.
- Pipe the fin with orange and then at the very end of the fin pipe a yellow wavy line across. Run a needle to from the back of the find to the front, creating a marbled wet on wet design. Let crust and repeat with the 2nd fin.
- Pipe the eyes : pipe white round, then pipe sky blue, black. And to add reflection pipe a tiny amount of icing onto the needle tool and add the refection on the edge of black.
- Flood the large middle section with orange. Let dry.
- Pipe the scales with yellow.
STRAWBERRY COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Red – 20 second
- Green – 15 second, piping consistency (for details)
- Yellow – 25 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- With edible marked draw the grid on a cookie.
- With red icing outline and pipe the grid.
- Flood every other section with red, smooth the icing and accentuate corner with a needle tool while icing is wet. Let crust. Then fill in remaining sections.
- Flood the top with green icing. Let crust.
- Pipe yellow dots and green details.
CARROT COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Orange – 20 second
- Green – piping consistency
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw the design outlines with an edible marker.
- Pipe every other carrot with orange, shape the icing while still wet. Let crust. Repeat with remaining carrots. Let crust.
- Pipe the green lines, layering them : let each layer crust for 2-3 minutes before piping another layer on the top.
- Finish by drawing short lines (creases)with orange and then brown edible marker.
CHIPMUNK COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES
- White -25 second (eyes, teeth)
- Black – 15 second, 25 second (eyes, mouth, nose)
- Brown -15 second, piping consistency (outlines – ears, neck)
- Ivory -15 second
- Pink – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS
- Draw the design outlines with an edible marker.
- Pipe the eyes with white then pipe black into the white and tiny white dot on the edge of black for the reflection.
- Flood with ivory icing.
- Flood the ears with pink. Let crust. Then pipe the brown ear sections. Let crust.
- Flood the head with brown, use a needle to distribute the icing. Using wet on wet technique create marbled design above the eyes. Pipe thick line with ivory icing and then marble it with black icing. Use a needle tool to shape the icing while still wet.
- Pipe the neck with ivory, let crust then add brown on both sides.
- Finish ears with a middle outline with brown icing.
- Pipe the nose with black, add white line into the wet black for the reflection.
- Make the mouth with black icing.
- Pipe the teeth with white icing. Flood teeth in section, letting a tooth crust before piping the second tooth.
- Pipe a brown outline on the neck.
FLOWER POT COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Red – 15 second
- Green, White -20 second
- Purple – piping consistency
DECORATING STEPS :
- Pipe a red flower pot, let crust.
- Draw succulent leaves with an edible marker.
- Flood every other leaf with green icing and marble it with white. Let crust and repeat with rest of the leaves.
- Flood the top of the flower pot with red border. Let crust.
- Pipe a decorative zic zac line with purple icing.
MARIO BROS TOAD COOKIES
COLORS AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Red, White, Black, Ivory, Royal Blue – 15 second
- Yellow – piping consistency
- Pink – 20 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Draw design outlines on a cookie with an edible marker.
- Ice the top with red and pipe white spots using wet on wet technique. Let crust.
- Pipe the blue sections.
- Brush a thin layer of black icing on a cookie, where the mouth is. Let crust.
- Pipe the tongue with pink icing and let crust. It will take about 5 minutes to crust as it’s tongue is very small.
- Flood the section between blue sections. Let crust.
- Outline the mouth with ivory and flood the head with ivory icing. Use a needle tool to distribute the icing evenly.
- While ivory is still wet pipe the eyes with black and white. Let crust.
- Pipe yellow outlines around the blue vest.
PINEAPPLE COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Light Yellow, Dark Yellow, Green – 15 second consistency
- White – piping consistency
DECORATING STEPS :
- Flood bottom with light yellow and then pipe darker yellow on the right side. Marble 2 shades of yellow together. Let crust for 1 hour
- Ice the top with green icing and let crust well.
- Pipe a grid with white icing. Use a grid underneath as needed.
KAWAII CARROT COOKIES
COLOR AND CONSISTENCIES :
- Orange – 15 second
- Green – 15 second, piping consistency (for the outline)
- White, Black – 25 second
DECORATING STEPS :
- Flood the bottom with orange and let crust.
- Ice the top with green. Let dry.
- Draw lines onto orange with orange and brown edible marker.
- Outline green section with icing.
- Pipe the eyes with black, while black is still wet add small star sprinkles and white dots for the reflection.
- Pipe white dots on the edges of orange section.
- Make the mouth with black.
Here are finished cookies. If you can’t find your favorite character cookies among picture tutorials above be sure to watch the video. You can find it there.
TO MAKE 30 COOKIE DESIGN WITH ONE COOKIE CUTTER YOU NEED
- RECIPES
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe, Vegan Cookies, Gluten Free Cookies
- Fresh Lemon Royal Icing, Vegan Royal Icing, Royal Icing with Fresh Egg or Liquid Eggs
- TOOLS
- Cookie Cutter : Strawberry – unfortunately Sugarbelle’s Strawberry Cutter is no longer available or maybe I just can’t find it anywhere. It was part of a Valentine’s Day Cutter Set. You can easily use a different strawberry cutter.
- Meringue Powder
- Food Colors
- Needle Tool
- Edible Markers
- Piping Bags
- Tweezers – to apply pearls or dragees
- Fine Tip Edible Marker : black
- Food Only Paint Brush
- Wax Paper
- Gold Pearl or Rainbow Dragees
- USEFUL TUTORIALS
- Guide to Royal Icing Consistency – how to thin royal icing, includes a video with real cookie projects demonstrating what consistency is used for a project
- Freezing Royal Icing
- Royal Icing FAQ
PIN IT for later
This post, originally published in 2018 has been updated with step by step process pictures and written text.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love. Learn more about my affiliate policy here.
Are there any instructions or tutorials for the rest of the Mario cookies? I love the squid and goomba & the princess
Hi Julie,
I just emailed you directly, with the links to my youtube videos that include tutorials you are looking for.
These are all amazing….I can’t imagine how someone could think of all these different designs with just ONE cookie cutter.
Thank you Vena!
I’m so glad I discovered your videos! I’m fond of pastry making but I never tried to decorate cakes or biscuits. They are wonderful! Thanks so much for your suggestions and sharing your videos.
Thank you Donatella.
I absolutely love watching your cookie decorating videos! Currently I am on disability due to lower back fusions and nerve pain going down my leg. Your videos calm my mind. It’s almost like meditation to me. On the days where I have a little more energy, I enjoy baking cookies and practice decorating them. Thank you so much for helping me with my own decorating skills, relaxation, and keeping my mind from thinking about my chronic pain.
Hi Robin,
I’m very sorry to hear you are in a chronic pain.
It’s nice to hear my videos bring you joy. Thank you for sharing. Hope you have a good day.
These are fantastic! Thanks for sharing – really opens the door to creativity when looking at other cookie cutter shapes.
So clever! Your designs are wonderful.
Amazing !
you are so talented! have you ever written a book?