Whether you’re preparing for a holiday cookie exchange or looking for an eye-catching hostess gift, these bright and cheerful cardinal gingerbread cookies created by Marian (sweetopia) of the must-see decorating blog Sweetopia are sure to please a crowd! For Marian’s no-fail gingerbread recipe, click here!

Materials

1 batch gingerbread cookies (for Marian’s go-to gingerbread recipe, click here!)
Your favorite royal icing recipe (here’s one to try!)
Cardinal cookie cutter
Four piping tips, #2
Piping bags
Couplers
Gel paste colors, Wilton no-taste red, black, brown, burgundy

Recipe tip from Marian: 

One thing I noticed after making this batch is that the coarse brown sugar I used this time is actually noticeable in the cookie after it’s baked. Still delicious, but I think I’ll stick to the finer brown sugar from here on in.

Instructions

1. Using a #2 piping tip, outline and flood your cookie base with the red icing. Leave room for the cardinal’s beak. Let the base dry for a few hours.

2. Pipe the light burgundy wing and the brown beak, using #2 piping tips. Let dry for a few hours.

3. Using a #2 piping tip, add the black strip of icing and let dry for at least 15 minutes.

4. Add a black icing dot for the eye, using a #2 tip, and let it dry.

Serve and enjoy!