Hey there! If you’re looking for a fun new twist for your family friends or customers, Paint-Your-Own cookie stenciling is definitely something to consider! People of all ages love painting their own cookie before enjoying. It’s a really fun option for kids, classrooms, day cares and elderly care facilities. Today, I’ll show you just how easy and creative these can be!
If you haven’t seen it already, THIS post on general cookie stenciling is the best place to start. That post goes more in-depth on where to get the best stencils, stencil holders and more. It also covers the fundamentals of cookie stenciling, a video demo and tips for success. But let’s do a quick review on what you’ll need for Paint-Your-Own cookie stenciling, also known as PYO cookies.
tools needed
- Stencil(s): There are tons of really cute and creative PYO cookie stencils! Here are direct links right to the PYO stencil offerings of my two favorite sources The Cookie Countess and Bake Art Stencils. But you’ll also find fun designs on Etsy too.
- Stencil Holder: You have several options here and some people even just start out with magnets until they buy a stencil holder. I LOVE my Sweet Tiers stencil holder, but it is more expensive than some of the alternative holders. Again, THIS post goes more in-depth on the most popular models.
- Scraper: I love my scraper set from Sweet Sugarbelle since it offers two sizes and just the right amount of flexibility.
paint your own cookie how-to
The method for Paint-Your-Own cookie stenciling is no different than general royal icing cookie stenciling. It is worth mentioning that you can’t airbrush PYO cookies! The reason being, when the painter adds water to their paint palette and starts to paint their cookie, an airbrushed design will come right off. So, you must use the royal icing scraping method for PYO cookies.
I’ve created a demo video for you HERE!
paint palettes
Here’s where things get unique for PYO cookies, after all, the painter will need a palette! As shown in the video, I prefer the professional look of the paint palettes offered from The Cookie Countess. I find them to be a huge timesaver and give the most vibrant colors when painting.
That said, many cookiers create their own palettes by adhering M&Ms or Skittles to a separate cookie or some use gel coloring to create color blobs. In my experience and opinion, I find these options do not give the painter the most vibrant colors and honestly, I just think using the color from a M&M or Skittle to be really gross and off-putting, but that’s just me! Obviously, creating your own palette takes more time so it’s really a question of time vs. cost and the look you want to achieve. I have seen some adorable palettes cookiers have created themselves!
packaging
Since there are additional supplies for PYO cookies, and I think presentation is EVERYTHING, here are the exact supplies I use to package my PYO cookies:
- Edible Food Color Palette – available in many different colors and seasonal options
- Paint brushes
- Paint palette bags
- Bag Topper – available in many fun and seasonal options
- Cookie Bags – these are self-sealing
have fun!
I hope this post all about Paint Your Own cookie stenciling is helpful and that you find these as fun as I do! Customers love them! As always, post a comment to let me know how it goes or if you need any help! I’m always happy to help, besties!