Faster cookie decorating with decorated Oreo design ideas
I love to bake (and love to eat homemade cakes and biscuits), but sometimes decorating them can be the hardest part. Icing is not my forte. Getting the correct thickness of icing to decorate cookies or cake can be hit and miss. But by using ready made cookies you can shorten the time and effort needed. Decorated Oreos are easy to do, fast and perfect for making themed treat cookies.
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What to use to decorate Oreo cookies
As Oreos are patterned texture and open at the sides, they’re never going to be perfectly smooth, but you can add a couple of layers of icing and it’ll work
I tend to use candy melts because I can just use whatever colour I have. Although I can find Candy melts aren’t as easy to melt as chocolate. They need quite a long time in the microwave, and if you do them too long or keep getting them out to check they go chunky and just won’t melt. You could also melt them in a bowl over gently boiling water in a pan which does mean you can be more in control of the melting.
My tip: melt them in a glass bowl not plastic like I did once (it melted the plastic bowl as it burnt).
I would say that if you can, stick to the brand Candy Melts – they tend to have a nice vanilla flavour, unlike a cheaper brand I tried recently which just had a bit of a plasticky taste.
As an alternative you can use white chocolate for a nice base. Otherwise quite thick glace icing will work, or royal icing.
After coating the tops, just leave to set. Candy melts* don’t take long, but proper icing will take longer before you can decorate on top.
Helpful equipment
- Wire rack
- Baking sheet
- Glass bowl (or I like Mason and Cash nesting bowls like these – UK)
Method 1: The dip
The easiest way for the base is to melt the candy melts or chocolate in a microwave, then dip the flat side of the Oreo into it. Leave to set icing side up on wire racks with something underneath to catch the icing. If you leave them on greaseproof paper it works, but the edges won’t be as neat where the run off pools.
Method 2: the pour over
The alternative is to put the cookies laid out on a wire rack, with something underneath to catch the coating. Then pour or spoon over the melted chocolate or candy melts. This way you should get it smooth, but you may struggle to get the remaining coating back into a bowl or something if you need to repour over again or remelt it.
Decorating the Oreos
Once the cookies are covered and the coating is set, the best decorating method is using a very fine nozzle to make a line of icing to either make patterns or outline shapes, then fill in. I’ve tried using icing pens and they either didn’t show up or pulled the icing and made a mess. Using icing on icing is best. Just wait til each section you do is dry/set before moving to the next.
Alternatively you can use decorating gels, although these take forever to set so are easily smeared, and less easy to control.
Decorated Oreo ideas
Flower designs – white or pale green base, create flower designs on top.
Easter or spring designs – Use pastel colours. On the base outline an egg shape, and fill in with stripes or spots. Or try just decorating the top with a pastel geometric pattern by using fine white lines then filling in the gaps
Pumpkins – orange candy melts with black icing to create the scary ‘faces’ or design.
Spiders webs – light background, using black icing to make a web. Alternatively draw a spider
Sports – tennis balls are just lime green candy melts with the tennis ball shape marked on in a darker green or white. Footballs are a white base with black pentagon shapes and grey or black lines to create the traditional black and white look.
Winter snowflakes – pale blue candy melts, white snowflake design. You can even add edible glitter
Snowman – white chocolate or candy melt base, black ‘coal’ eyes and mouth, orange carrot shape for nose.
Christmas tree – Blue ‘sky’ base, then squiggle on green ‘triangle’ shape to make a tree, adding on decorative sugar balls as baubles.
Valentines – pink or red base, with red/pink/white sprinkles before it sets (over half , or around the edges). Alternatively decorate it with a few mini hearts, or ‘paint splatter decorative lines across them.
St Patrick’s day – shamrocks, or just green designs as above, on black or white backgrounds.
If you check Pinterest you can see a multitude of amazing designs better than I could ever create myself. But sometimes basic is just fine.
You could get the children involved for film treats, or even get them to design their own at a party for an activity. Try doing the base colour ahead of time which gives it time to dry before adding anything else.
Have you ever decorated Oreos? Let me know what designs
Like this post, try these other tips for nearby days out.
