If you saw my Onesie Baby Shower Cookies, you probably already know that I recently had the pleasure of making homemade party favors for my little sister’s baby shower. When someone in your family is expecting, it is such a joyful time that you’re excited to do anything to be a part of the experience. That’s why these lion and monkey cookies were so much fun to make. As an added bonus, you can easily change the embellishments to customize their look for a perfect homemade party favor for any jungle party!
Supplies for Lion Cookies
To make lion cookies, you will need:
Cookies made from your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut using a lion cookie cutter
Royal icing in brown, orange, tan, and blue (I used 12-count consistency icing for all the steps in this tutorial. If you need help with icing color or consistency, check out the How To Make Royal Icing section of 101 Essential Cookie Decorating Resources.)
Small black confetti sprinkles
Blue sugar pearls
Any color food coloring marker (optional)
A pair of tweezers (clean and used for baking only)
Icing bags or bottles, couplers, and tips (You can use a #2 tip for all the steps in this tutorial.)
How To Decorate Lion Cookies
If you would like a guide to follow when icing your lion cookies, use a food coloring marker to draw an outline for each of the lion’s facial features. Complete this step on all of your lion cookies before you begin decorating.
When drawing icing guides on cookies, you can freehand the shapes or use a template to create a more uniform look on all of your cookies. For an example of how to create and use templates, see How To Make High Heel Leopard Print Cookies.
Use your tan royal icing to outline and immediately flood the cheeks and ears on your lion cookie. If you are using 12-count icing, you may need to run a toothpick through the icing or gently shake your cookie back and forth to smooth out the icing in the flooded sections. Complete this step on all of your lion cookies and move on to the next step once the tan icing is mostly dry (approximately 20 minutes).
Use your orange royal icing to outline and immediately flood the face on your lion cookies. While the icing is wet, use your tweezers to apply two black confetti sprinkles as eyes and a blue sugar pearl as a nose. Sugar pearls are available in many colors so don’t feel limited to blue if another color works better for your jungle party.
Once the orange icing is mostly dry, use your brown royal icing to outline and immediately flood the mane on your lion cookies.
For the final touch, after the brown icing is dry, draw whiskers on your lion cookies using blue royal icing (or another color to match your sugar pearls). Let your cookies dry completely (preferably overnight) before stacking or packaging.
Supplies for Monkey Cookies
To make monkey cookies, you will need:
Cookies made from your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut using a monkey cookie cutter
Royal icing in brown and tan (I used 12-count consistency icing for all the steps in this tutorial.)
Small black confetti sprinkles
Blue sugar pearls
Any color food coloring marker (optional)
A pair of tweezers (clean and used for baking only)
Icing bags or bottles, couplers, and tips (You can use a #2 tip for all the steps in this tutorial.)
How To Decorate Monkey Cookies
To make decorating easier, start by using a food coloring marker to outline the face and ears on all your monkey cookies.
Then, use your tan royal icing to outline and immediately fill the areas.
While the icing is still wet, use your food tweezers to place two black confetti sprinkles as eyes and one blue (or other color) sugar pearl as a nose on your monkey cookies.
Once the tan icing is mostly dry, outline and immediately flood the head on your monkey cookies with brown royal icing. Also, use your brown royal icing to draw the mouth.
To add rosey cheeks to your monkey cookies, use a red candy melt like a crayon, rubbing it directly on the tan icing. Then, use your brown royal icing to make tiny dots for freckles.
Let your monkey cookies completely dry (preferably overnight) before stacking or packaging.
Your monkey and lion cookies will look adorable stacked on a platter on a jungle party dessert table. But if you want to take it one step further, you can individually wrap your cookies to make homemade party favors. To learn how to make labels for your cookie party favors, check out Cookie Coloring Kits | Homemade Cookie Gifts.
What’s the cutest baby shower theme you’ve ever seen? Can you think of some fun homemade party favors to go with the theme?
These are super cute and adorable!
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma’s Cookie recently posted..Geeky Valentine Project: Grumpy Cat Cookies
Thanks, Jennifer!
Oh my! These are totally adorable. And I’m in awe of your perfect icing!!
Melissa recently posted..Muffin Tin Monday | Sweets & Treats
Thanks for the sweet compliment, Melissa! These lion and monkey cookies were a lot of fun to make.
Soooooooo cute! I need to find a reason to make these.
Thanks, Maria! I hope you find an excuse to make these lion and monkey cookies soon… they’re a lot of fun to decorate!
These are so adorable! I need to learn how to decorate properly and pretty like these
Elizabeth recently posted..Salted Caramel Brownies
Thanks, Elizabeth! I think the blue noses add an extra level of cuteness to the lion and monkey cookies. Those sugar pearls come in lots of colors so you could change it up easily.
What a great tutorial! Using an edible food writer to guide where to fill is a smart idea!
icakepops recently posted..Valentine’s Day Cake Pops
That little trick helps me a lot. Especially with designs like these lion and monkey cookies where I want all the shapes to be consistent.
How ever did you learn how to make these?They are so perfect and adorable. Thanks for sharing them on my blog hop!
Sinea Pies recently posted..Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #10
Aawww, thanks, Sinea. I designed the monkey and lion cookies to match the bedding my sister is using in her baby’s room. I sketch it out first and then use templates to get the shapes right.
These are so adorable! I really would love to be able to decorate beautiful cookies for parties, etc. I might have to give your ideas a try – especially using a food coloring marker as a guide. I would definitely need that!!
I hope you’ll link up at this week’s Off the Hook!
Lauren recently posted..Off The Hool {Week 4}
All it takes to decorate pretty cookies is a little practice, Lauren. I hope you give these monkey and lion cookies a try. Using a template makes them a great place to start for a beginner.
These are gorgeous! I’m impressed =)
Thanks, Melissa!
Theyre so sweet and I’m sure fun to eat, too
Thank you for partying with the Wildly Original Crowd.
<3 Christina at I Gotta Create!
While the lion and monkey cookies are fun to make, eating them is the best part!
These are absolutely darling! I love the step-by-step tutorial pictures, too! I’ll be pinning this to my cookie board. Have a blessed day.
Laurie @ Simply Creating Home recently posted..On to Project #3 – The Blue Whimsical Lattice Quilt
Thanks for sharing my Lion and Monkey Cookies, Laurie!
Super cute!!
Diana Rambles recently posted..Custom Blogger Design Giveaway
Thanks, Diana!
Your cookies are absolutely adorable!
Erin @ Making Memories recently posted..German Chocolate Cheesecake
Thanks, Erin! If you’re going to make monkey and lion cookies for a baby shower, the one thing they gotta be is adorable!
Too cute! I love their little noses. Thanks for linking up
Melissa {Simply Sweets by Honeybee} recently posted..Fondant Accent Flowers {Simply Sweet Saturdays}
Thanks, Melissa. I think the little blue noses are my favorite part o the lion and monkey cookies too. Thanks for hosting each week!
Oh these are amazing! I recently tried cookie decorating, um let’s just say they did not look like this and won’t be seen on the Internet. Amazing job!
Mel recently posted..Inspiration Cafe – DIY Framed Monograms
Thanks for your sweet comment about my monkey and lion cookies, Mel! Getting good at cookie decorating just takes a little bit of practice. Each time you do it they come out a little better. I hope you give it another try!
Adorable cookies and great tutorial.
Chineka @ Savor The Baking recently posted..2013 Panhandle Cake Show
Thanks, Chineka!
Wow- you make such beautiful cookies! Signing up now for email updates so I don’t miss a thing. Thanks for visiting my site today!
Holly recently posted..Brownie Cookies
Thanks for your sweet compliment, Holly! So glad to have you as a reader!
Super cute I love the monkey the best
Linda V @ Bubble and Sweet recently posted..Fondantless Chocolate Star Wars Cake
Thanks, Linda!
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