Instructions
Make your favorite rolled sugar cookie dough and cut into star shapes.
Prepare your favorite White Royal Icing to stiff consistency.
Prepare Flood Consistency Icing: Begin by dividing your stiff white royal icing into two portions. Place one portion in a bowl for dipping, and divide the other portion into three small containers for coloring. Gradually add water to the icing in the bowl until you achieve flood consistency. This means the icing should flow back into itself in about 15 seconds.
Color the Icing: Take the three containers of stiff royal icing and color each with a different gel food color (red, sky blue, and royal blue). Gradually add water to each container and stir until flood consistency is reached for each color.
Marble the Icing: Now, drizzle each colored icing into the bowl of flooded white icing. Using a toothpick, carefully swirl the colors together to create a marbled effect. Be cautious not to overmix, as you want distinct swirls of color.
Bold Accent (Optional): For a bolder look, use a toothpick to drag gel food color through the icing. This will create striking accents of color throughout the marbled design.
Dip the Cookies: Take your star-shaped cookies and dip them face down into the surface of the marbled icing, ensuring full coverage. Lift the cookie out of the icing and allow the excess to drip off at the edge of the bowl. Tap your hand on the side of the bowl to help the excess icing drip off, and gently drag the cookie on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess icing.
Release Air Bubbles: Place the cookie in the palm of your hand and gently tap on your wrist to release any air bubbles trapped in the icing or use a scribe tool to pop any bubbles and clean the edges of the cookie.
Allow to Dry: Place the dipped cookies on a wire rack set over parchment paper to allow the icing to dry completely. This will take some time, so be patient!
Refresh the Icing: If you notice that the icing starts to look muddy as you continue dipping cookies, simply remove the top layer of icing with a scraper. Then, add more colored icing to the flooded white icing and continue dipping.
Serve: Once the icing has set and the cookies are dry, you're ready to serve your Patriotic Marbled Star Cookies! They'll make a stunning addition to any festive gathering, and your guests will be impressed by your decorating skills. Enjoy!
