Piping Bags With Tips Vs Parchment Cones?
Baking By jayshunnie22 Updated 19 Mar 2010 , 11:55pm by monet1895
I havent tried the whole piping bag and tip yet because i just dont wanna end up using so many bags at once and im being a lil cheap and wanted to hear feedback first. I dont like the results i get from the parchment cones,its a lil unpredictable so im wondering what works for you?
( By the way im talking about sugar cookies with royal icing.)
Thanks 
Well, I am a bit cheap too. 
Personally, I don't like the parchment cones as I need to be able to change tips often and I might be mistaken, but I have not seen an idea on how to do that. When I tried to put a coupler in, I was not met with much success, but that might be operator error on my part. I use Wilton disposable bags and, yes, I wash them. When I need a set of bags, I buy the big box from Michael's using a Michael's 40% coupon to help defray the expense. That is just me though. I am sure many will think I am a nut for washing disposable bags, but that's what I do.
I do know that many here like squeeze bottles and you might be able to find information about that in past forum postings. You can change the tips and I believe that they clean up well. Hope this helps a bit.
i like bags/coupler.. lots of changing of tips but I i use zip lock bags as well.. especially if I am going to be using the same tip. just snip the corner drop in tip and fill bag up and throw away when done.. i like that all i have to do is snip the bag to get my tip out.
parchement bags hate me !! they always rip on me.
I think of myself as a frugal person too, but I use the disposable bags and I don't reuse them. They're just not that expensive especially with a coupon.
I have a couple of cloth bags that I use when I'm doing a lot of tiny detail work. I like those because if I'm holding the bag for a really long time my hands sweat, and the fabric keeps the bag from getting slippery. It has a plastic coating inside so it's easy to clean.
I too use the disposable bags and I wash them and reuse them...
I love the idea of re-using the bags! never popped into my head lol. I to use alot of bags and no they are not really cheap for me as I do this out of the love for decorationg and I dont get paid for my creations.
I'll second, third and even fourth some of the comments here...
I use cloth primarily for buttercream because I feel the temperature control is more even (my hands get warm quickly too!).
I use disposable for just about everything else and almost always use a coupler because the one time I don't is the time I realize that I need to change the tip and now can't 
I only wash them about half the time and I never purchase them without a coupon.
I love paper for tiny detail work and I keep a stack of already folded parchment bags on hand.
For lots of flood work though, the squeeze bottle is definitely the way to go... I confirmed that for myself this past christmas.
I have a couple of cloth bags that I use when I'm doing a lot of tiny detail work. I like those because if I'm holding the bag for a really long time my hands sweat, and the fabric keeps the bag from getting slippery. It has a plastic coating inside so it's easy to clean.
Thanks Texas_Rose! I was not aware of that benefit from cloth and that will really come in handy in the summer. Much appreciated!
Thanks also Mandy for all of your thoughts! I will have to try the paper at some point for detail work. Sometimes I can't find my PME 0 and 00 when I really need them and this looks like a great idea. Thanks again!
If I am going to need more than one tip I use multiple bags - but I use icing plugs. I lay out a piece of saran wrap (plastic wrap) put a couple of scoops of icing in the middle, fold the plastic over on itself, roll the icing up in it like a piece of candy with plastic on both ends like a wrapper, tie off one end, and snip the other end when I am ready to use it - just plop it in your bag and use! You can easily switch colors this way too, and it is way less messy to clean your bag if you want to reuse it.
I'm curious about the squeeze bottles for flooding. What kind of bottles are you referring to that allow you to change the tip? Sounds like a GREAT idea. I've just started playing around w/ cookies, but it didn't take me long to realize that it takes a LOT of squeezing to flood all of those cookies!
If I am going to need more than one tip I use multiple bags - but I use icing plugs. I lay out a piece of saran wrap (plastic wrap) put a couple of scoops of icing in the middle, fold the plastic over on itself, roll the icing up in it like a piece of candy with plastic on both ends like a wrapper, tie off one end, and snip the other end when I am ready to use it - just plop it in your bag and use! You can easily switch colors this way too, and it is way less messy to clean your bag if you want to reuse it.
This is exactly what I've been doing as well and if it's done properly, only the coupler needs to be rinsed. When I'm done with the icing, I pull the plastic wrap out and toss it. Most of the time, my disposable bag isn't even dirty since it never touched the icing that I'm able to run hot water through it to clean the coupler (if needed) and it's ready for the next color - coupler in place.
I'm curious about the squeeze bottles for flooding. What kind of bottles are you referring to that allow you to change the tip? Sounds like a GREAT idea. I've just started playing around w/ cookies, but it didn't take me long to realize that it takes a LOT of squeezing to flood all of those cookies!
Candy making bottles, they look like the plastic ketchup & mustard bottles you find at greasy spoons, only they're clear. The plastic is pretty soft to squeeze, and when flooding, gravity will do most of the work... I found it to be both less messy AND easier on my hand than bags with tips. You can simply pour your icing into the bottle, snip the cap to give you a tip size you're comfortable with and move on... there are some bottles now that are collapsable that are threaded for couplers so you can use thicker icings and tips if you're so inclined. I've seen them at Sur La Table and Crate & Barrel most recently. (Two stores that spell Trouble for me!)
LOL...Crate and Barrel is bad news for me too! As for the bottles, thanks for those tips. Just looked on C&B's website and saw the bottles you are referring to. I have some of the "regular" clear candy bottles, so I will have to give those a try. The openings on these are precut, and they look to be about a size 4, but it would be a starting point for the general flooding. Thanks!
I just used the Wilton small candy squeeze bottles for flooding with royal and they worked wonderfully. Quick and easy clean-up. Plus, I don't have any crusting problems -- the icing stayed the consistency I wanted since it's not exposed to air. I get the bottles at Michaels with the coupons. Everything with a coupon!
Everything with a coupon!
Exactly!!!
Renaejrk wrote:
If I am going to need more than one tip I use multiple bags - but I use icing plugs. I lay out a piece of saran wrap (plastic wrap) put a couple of scoops of icing in the middle, fold the plastic over on itself, roll the icing up in it like a piece of candy with plastic on both ends like a wrapper, tie off one end, and snip the other end when I am ready to use it - just plop it in your bag and use! You can easily switch colors this way too, and it is way less messy to clean your bag if you want to reuse it.
This is exactly what I've been doing as well and if it's done properly, only the coupler needs to be rinsed. When I'm done with the icing, I pull the plastic wrap out and toss it. Most of the time, my disposable bag isn't even dirty since it never touched the icing that I'm able to run hot water through it to clean the coupler (if needed) and it's ready for the next color - coupler in place.
Bingo!! 
I do this too and it makes such a difference in cleaning up!
I use ziplock bags versus pastry bags for cookie decorating because the smaller bags are easier to use. I also always have them on hand. =)
I use glace icing and bottles exclusively for cookies now. I believe the bottles I use are "normally" for working with chocolate, but they have a top that you can change tips on. They are rather small, only about 2oz, but they work GREAT and you'd be surprised how much you can get done even with that small amount of icing. It goes a LOT further than you'd think.
I am parchment bag stupid and everytime I make and attempt it ends up in a big mess...tears are shed. So I stick to cloth bags and couplers
I like tp use parchment bags ifI just have a little bit to do with one color (like writing ont he cake), if I change tips alot or have to do a big cake that will take refilling the bag I use disposable bags, which I always wash and reuse
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?ShopId=39&CatId=582&SubCatId=614&productId=619471
These are the bottles I use. I got them from my local cake decorating store. You can replace the plastic tip with your standard metal ones.
I just used the Wilton small candy squeeze bottles for flooding with royal and they worked wonderfully. Quick and easy clean-up. Plus, I don't have any crusting problems -- the icing stayed the consistency I wanted since it's not exposed to air. I get the bottles at Michaels with the coupons. Everything with a coupon!
Ditto.
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