Nothing is more rewarding than sharing your baked creations with little loved ones. Now, with the help of cookie coloring kits, you can include children in the cookie decorating fun even when they are far away. To make these DIY homemade gifts, all you have to do is create a blank cookie canvas, design the pretty packaging, and include cookie decorating tools. The smiling little sugar artists in your life will be thanking you!
Supplies for Making Cookie Coloring Kits
To make your cookie coloring kit you will need:
- Cookies baked and cut from your favorite sugar cookie recipe
- Royal icing in black (piping consistency) and white (flooding consistency)
- Icing bags or bottles, couplers, and tips (You can use a #2 or #3 tip for all the steps in this tutorial.)
- Rainbow disco dust (optional)***
- A small, food safe paint brush (if using disco dust)
- Food coloring markers (one package for each gift receiver)
- 4 x 9 in. clear cellophane bags
- Cardstock paper and a color printer (Paper with a regular thickness will work too.)
- Pair of scissors
- Stapler
How To Design Cookie Coloring Kits
Start by deciding what shapes you want to include in your cookie coloring kit. I chose a different theme for each kit made up of three to four cookies.
For simple, customized packaging, use cellophane bags with homemade labels created using any simple design program. Make each label the width of a cellophane bag and about two inches high. The bottom half of the label is the front, including the name of your cookie coloring kit, the theme, and a customized message. The top half of the label is the back with directions for how to use the cookie coloring kit. Design the back of the label upside down since you will fold it over the top of the cellophane bag during packaging.
Print your labels on cardstock paper, cut them out, and set them aside until you are ready for packaging.
The labels that I created are available for download below. I removed my personal information so that you can write in your own in the blank areas.
How To Make Cookies for Cookie Coloring Kits
Since most of the decorating is done by the lucky kids receiving the cookie coloring kits, you will breeze through the icing of these cookies. Start by outlining each cookie with black royal icing that is piping consistency. (If you would like more information on coloring or icing consistency, check out the How To Make Royal Icing section of 101 Essential Cookie Decorating Resources.) If you want to add a little sparkle, shake some rainbow disco dust onto the black icing while it is still wet.
***UPDATE: Please note that since this blog post was written, I have discovered that there is some debate over the use of disco dust on food products. It is marketed for cake decorating, but it is not FDA approved and is labeled only as “non-toxic”. My understanding is that it is not digested by the body and will pass through harmlessly in small amounts. For an edible alternative to disco dust, try Wilton Cake Sparkles or Sugarpaste Crystal Colors.***
Let the cookies sit for about 20 minutes so that the black icing is dry. Wipe off any excess disco dust using a small, clean (for baking only), dry paint brush. Then, flood the cookies with white royal icing.
Done! Let the cookies dry overnight before you begin packaging.
How To Package Cookie Coloring Kits
Slide two cookies into each cellophane bag and seal the top with a Foodsaver or stapler. Fold each label in half, place it over the top of a sealed cellophane bag, and staple it to hold it in place. Include a pack of food coloring markers and your cookie coloring kit is complete!
I shipped my cookie coloring kits to my nieces who had a blast decorating and, of course, eating them. What plans do you have for DIY homemade gifts this holiday season? Will you be using them as a stocking stuffers for some lucky little baker to discover on Christmas morning?
Find all the essentials for making cookie coloring kits in the sugarkissed.net shop at amazon.com!
What a great idea! Especially for a stocking stuffer and those days when the kids can’t seem to find anything to do! Thanks for sharing! (Stopping by from SITS)
Thanks for stopping by, Melissa!
This is the cutest idea ever! I’ve not seen anything like it. The bags give it the best finishing touch.
Happy Saturday Sharefest!
Carli recently posted..How to Look Great Without Makeup & #Elf4Health Confession
Thanks, Carli!
I hope you know I’m totally stealing your sugar cookie recipe. Happy Sharefest!
Classic NYer recently posted..On why wives should never be audiences
Let me know how you like it!
You make it seem so easy! I’ll have to try this.
Becca @ Saved by Grace recently posted..Movie Review: Wreck-It Ralph
If ever there were easy cookies to decorated, these are it, Becca!
This is so cute and fun! What great Ideas you have here on your blog! Thank you for linking up to Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s. I pin every post and the featured posts get tweeted and shared on Facebook. I hope you come back each week!
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen recently posted..Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s #2
Thanks for hosting, Chandra!
What a fantastic idea Janine and what a cute little cookie maker you have there! Thanks for sharing on “I Gotta Try That” Have a great week!
Marcie
I Gotta Try That recently posted..Linky Party #28
Thanks, Marcie! Those are my adorable neices
The kids love to colour their own cookies and I love your idea to package them up like this for stocking stuffers. Your labels are great too
Paula recently posted..Holiday Christmas Gift Idea for Eat In Eat Out
Thanks, Paula. It’s fun for the kids to do and fun for the adults to watch!
This is such a cute idea! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday
Lisa @ Flour Me With Love recently posted..No-Yeast Strawberry Cream Cheese Braid
Thanks for stopping by, Lisa!
What a fun gift, my kids would love this!
Printabelle recently posted..FREE Holiday Baking Party Printables from Printabelle | Catch My Party
Thanks! They would be great paired with some of your fun printables!