I am new at all this and still use an outline of piped icing before flowing in the fill icing. I think the cookies without the outline look so much nicer. Is there a recipe for the consistency that keeps it from running off the cookie without the outline? Also, can you do the wet on wet technique when you do not outline? Thanks. 
i know that there are folks who do not outline, so i will leave them to answer your question, but i will offer an alternative 
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i always outline because i like the control, but i HATE the look of an outline. if you look at my cookies, except for the one or two where the outline was part of the design, you will not see my outlines.
the trick to not having the outline show is to fill while the outline is still a bit wet...and the outline and the fill becomes seamless. if the cookie is large, i outline and start filling right away, it if is small, i may outline two and then go back and start filling.
diane
I do what Diane does. I pipe a line of icing around the perimeter of the area to be iced. I immediately fill in with more icing, using a zig zag pattern. This leaves a portion of the cookie with no icing. I use a tapered, off-set spatula to smooth the icing evenly over the area. The icing dries nice and smooth, with no outlines. If you look at my photos, you will notice that they are all outlined. I do this after the entire cookie is iced. I mix my leftover icings together, add some black and enough powdered sugar to get the icing to the consistency of peanut butter. I use a #1s or #1 for all outlining and details.
P.S. - I absolutely LOVE Diane's cookies!
Diane...I looked at some of your photos and you are right, I cannot see the outline. I tried that once but I must have did the fill while the outline was still too wet because it ran off the cookie. Do you use the same icing for the outline and the fill?
my outline is stiffer than the flood.
i take my flood and i begin adding more PS until it's about like toothpaste or peanut butter. you don't wan't to get too dry because it will be a nightmare to pipe and you don't want it to be too wet because then the dam will not hold well. drop it off your spoon and if it disappears back into the icing before 10 seconds passes it is too wet. it might take a few attempts before you find the right consistency. you can also just scoop a little into a tip and then push it out with your finger and see if it hold the shape. if it flattens out, to wet. it's a little harder to gauge "too dry"....
i still occasionally make my outline to dry and then i have to decide if my wrist can suck it up (it also does not make as nice an outline where the ends meet) or empty my bag and add a little more liquid.
i also make my flood a little thicker than the original recipe called for. thicker icing tends to stay where you put it better and i have less breaks in the dam.
the recipe i originally used for flood was 3/8 cup water, 3/8 cup corn syrup to 1 lb PS. i now use 1/4 cup of each liquid for the flood and get much better results.
Diane, I noticed that you use a lot of dark chocolate dough for your cookies and raspberry icing. What recipe do you use for the chocolate dough? I have not had the nerve to try different flavorings in the icing yet. I don't know why because after all they are just cookies and my family and friends are the only ones eating them. I guess I think it is too hard to come up with a tasty combination. Thanks for sharing your photos. I will have to figure out how to post photos and add some of mine.
it's my favorite cookie, not only because it looks so great decorated, but because it really, really, really tastes good. my family scarfs them up sometimes before i can get them decorated, lol.
the dough holds its shape too which is hugely important to me.
i also like the fact that i can add additional flavor to the dough to make combinations like chocolate-banana or chocolate coconut. i add the required amount of vanilla extract and then i add just over a teaspoon of another flavor and get great results.
the recipe is from pumpkin waffles here on cc (and i use the hershey's dark cocoa):
http://cakecentral.com/recipes/6962/rolled-dark-chocolate-cookies
the cookies you are asking about were the recipe as written with raspberry flavored glace (just flavored with raspberry extract). but, it i were to do this again, i would put the extract in the cookies too for an even more flavorful cookie!
I know I have seen a post before listing a place that everyone seems to get their flavorings from. Do you have the name of that web site? I will have to get brave and try some different cookies. So far I have only decorated the sugar cookies. Thanks.
I know I have seen a post before listing a place that everyone seems to get their flavorings from. Do you have the name of that web site? I will have to get brave and try some different cookies. So far I have only decorated the sugar cookies. Thanks.
Spices, etc. (I love the key lime). They have a ton of natural flavorings, and the prices aren't too bad. I use the clear vanilla A LOT. I bought the coconut and banana, but haven't had the opportunity to try them yet. My next cookie will definitely by a chocolate coconut with coconut icing!
one of my favorites is a coconut sugar cookie (regular, not chocolate) with key lime icing
. omg, i am making myself hungry and it is not even 10:30......
Oh yum that sounds so good! Like something I want to eat while lounging on the beach!
it is just more playing around with extracts. i just add coconut extract to my favorite regular sugar cookie recipe (for me, that is the "cookie craft" recipe). i add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut extract. and for coconut and banana, i just use plain old mccormick's extracts that i can purchase at the grocery store.
i use lorann oils for some of the more unusual flavors. and you use way less of these than you do extracts because they are more concentrated.
if you want to make lime flavored sugar cookies you can use lime zest or purchased lime oil. i would advise against using the actual lime zest (the way we do with lemon zest) in dough . the lime zest turns brown when you bake it and can be kinda unattractive. what you can do is put your sugar and lime zest in a sealed containter for 24 hours (giving it a shake every now and then) and let the sugar absorb the lime oil from the zest. then strain out the zest and use your lime sugar as normal (it will appear a bit green, but your cookies won't be green, lol). for lemon, go ahead and keep the zest it as it bakes up fine.
diane
newbie here also wondering about teh whole outline conundrum. Thanks for all this imformation!
ps Diane I am in love - those pears are swoon worthy!!
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