Five tips for perfectly decorated cookies

Decorated cookies look complicated, but a few habits make all the difference.

Chill your cut-out dough before baking so the edges stay sharp. Let the cookies cool completely before you start icing.

Mix two icing consistencies: a thicker one for outlines and a looser one for flooding. Test it by drawing a line through the icing; it should close in about ten seconds.

Work in small batches and let each layer dry before adding details. Patience is the secret ingredient.