How to Decorate Beautiful Butterfly Cookies (Video)

If you're new to Peanut Butter and Julie, welcome! I'm so glad that you've stopped by for a look, and I hope you'll return again and again.....and again. If you're a regular reader (welcome back!), then you might have noticed that I've made a few changes around here. There's a new layout, a new design and a brand spankin' new email newsletter for my lovely subscribers (let's be honest: my former one left a lot to be desired.)

The PB&J makeover is still underway, so please forgive any minor glitches that may occur while I give the blog a little nip and tuck. She was long overdue for a spa vacation, anyhow.

In the meantime, let me introduce you to a new regular feature: cookie decorating tutorials. I post quite a few of my creations here, on Instagram or on Facebook, but I've never really taken you on a step-by-step tour of how I got from a blank cookie to a finished design.

So, I fired up my GoPro and gave it a Go. Peanut Butter and Julie is now the proud owner of her very on YouTube channel, on which all future tutorials will be uploaded, so please SUBSCRIBE to the channel for an endless supply of cookie decorating fun (well, truthfully, I've only filmed three videos so far...so perhaps "limited but growing supply" is a better description.) You'll need to actually go to my YouTube page to subscribe, however, as you can't do it directly from the blog.....sorry.

The first tutorial that I created is for an oldie but a goodie: my Beautiful Butterfly Cookies -- bright, cheerful and perfect for any spring or summertime party. I used my standard Vanilla-Orange Sugar Cookie recipe for these along with my Basic Royal Icing.

Enjoy -- step-by-step photos are posted below the video link. More to come!

Step 1: Bake butterfly-shaped sugar cookies using my Vanilla-Orange Sugar Cookie Recipe (trust me, it's good.)

Step 2: Outline the butterfly wings in black Royal Icing.

Step 3: Fill in the top wings with hot pink royal icing (or your butterfly color of choice.)

Step 4: Carefully filly royal icing to the edges using a toothpick, cake tester or similar object.

Step 5: Immediately pipe interior designs directly onto the pink icing.

Step 6: Use you cake tester/toothpick/etc. to draw lines inward, from the exterior black border through the interior black loop, resulting in a beautiful wing design!