These easy watercolor cookies are the perfect addition to your Easter basket! Easy to make and a fun unique decorating idea!
We always boil and decorate a dozen or so eggs around this time of year. How many do we eat? Maybe two. The rest sit, beautifully colored, in our refrigerator until they spoil and I realize that I left them in there…
I knew that these sugar cookie Easter eggs wouldn’t last quite as long. They seem to disappear quicker then I can get them decorated. But if you can manage to make it through the entire tutorial without eating them all you will be left with a fantastic display of watercolor beauties.
Recipe Features:
- Beginner Decorating Tutorial: While this might look tricky, it couldn’t be easier! Perfect for a family activity or beginners.
- Easter Dessert Recipe!
- Make-Ahead Dessert: These cookies can be made up to 4 weeks if stored properly.
What You Need:
First things first, you need to make some cookies. I like to use this super soft sugar cookie recipe. The addition of lemon extract really adds a hint of spring which combines great with a simple vanilla frosting.
Other items you will need to complete this tutorial:
- Sugar Cookies: Cut into your favorite shape and decorated.
- Vanilla frosting
- Gel Food Color (affiliate)
- Water
- NEW and clean paint brushes. Ideally marked food safe.
Step by Step Instructions for Watercolor Cookies:
Here’s a little tip. We actually LOVE buttercream frosting but canned frosting works just as well for this tutorial, as long as you have a good cookie base. Pick what works for you.
- Place 1 cup of frosting in a microwave safe shallow dish.
- Heat in the microwave for 10-12 seconds or until liquid.
- Dip the top of each cookie until covered. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until the surface is firm and dry to the touch. This will give you your white canvas base.
- Mix one or two drops of food coloring with two teaspoons of water in a small dish. Use a separate dish for each color.
- You can add more water or color to achieve the right shade. Mix with a toothpick until no clumps remain.
- Paint your cookies using clean paint brushes.
- Let them dry for roughly 1 hour or until the cookies are dry to the touch.
Watercolor Cookies Painting Tips:
- This is a very beginner recipe. You can definitely up your game and use royal icing. We find that a basic buttercream or canned frosting is the perfect practice canvas.
- Wash your paintbrushes before and after using them on the cookie. Make sure to pull out any loose bristles.
- Get creative! Your design can be wild or more basic. They always turn out looking amazing.
How to splatter paint cookies:
Here’s a super fun way to get creative. Create a robins egg look by dying your “canvas” frosting a light blue. Dip as directed and dry completely.
Once you have your base, use a deep brown food color mixed with water for your “paint.”
Dip a brand new clean toothbrush in the mix. Holding 12 to 16 inches away from the cookie, use your fingers to “flick” the paint onto your eggs. This gives you a fun speckled look that is gorgeous!
Related Recipes:
So break the tradition this year and make some cookies instead of hard boiled eggs. Hand out your edible art to friends and family or keep them all for yourself!
- Hoppy Easter Bunny Truffles
- Carrot Cake Recipe
- Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
- Easy Deviled Eggs
- Easter Bunny Shaped Cinnamon Rolls
How To Decorate Watercolor Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 batch of sugar cookies. Cut with an egg shaped cutter baked, and cooled
- Vanilla frosting homemade or store bought
- Gel Food color
- Water
- New clean paint brushes
Instructions
- 1. Place 1 cup of frosting in a microwave safe shallow dish.
- 2. Heat in the microwave for 10-12 seconds or until liquid.
- 3. Dip the top of each cookie until covered. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until the surface is firm and dry to the touch. This will give you your white canvas base.
- 4. Mix one or two drops of food coloring with two teaspoons of water in a small dish. Use a separate dish for each color.
- 5. You can add more water or color to achieve the right shade. Mix with a toothpick until no clumps remain.
- 6. Paint your cookies using clean paint brushes.
- 7. Let them dry for roughly 1 hour or until the cookies are dry to the touch.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Melissa says
These are adorable! I did the same thing for valentines with heart cookies and they were a big hit. It’s like a treat & piece of art in one 🙂
Jesseca says
Check the link back in the post ;0) I gave you some shout out love for those.
Aimee @ Like mother like daughter says
I had no idea you could water color cookies. These are so pretty and I love them!