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Cookies get the royal decorating treatment in MetroParks class
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
They didn’t know much about cookie decorating, but that changed after two hours of instruction.
Instructor Cindy Velt led about a dozen people through the process of decorating cut-out cookies with royal icing Saturday. The class took place at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center in Mill Creek MetroParks.
Velt, who has been decorating cookies for about four years, said it’s something people can do for fun.
“People will be coming out of the woodwork asking you to decorate cookies for them,” she said.
“It’s a terrific, cheap hobby,” she added.
Velt learned by watching YouTube videos, and said she is still learning. Last year, she decorated about 9,000 cookies.
She started by showing participants how to make icing the right consistency for decorating, explaining they just need meringue powder, confectioner’s sugar and water to make it. Adjusting the amount of water creates different consistencies for various uses such as writing.
They practiced filling bags for piping designs and making decorations and also worked on making small and large hearts on templates.
All of the supplies needed were provided.
By the end of the class, each participant had a bouquet of decorated Valentine cookies in a mason jar.
Casey McNally, 10, attended with her aunt, Natalie Kearns, both of Youngstown.
“I like decorating,” Casey said.
Kearns said the family traditionally bakes cookies at Christmas time.
“And we want to learn how to do it correctly,” she said.
The class is great, she said.
McNally had a knack for making heart designs, and was able to give her aunt some tips.
She said she would eat her cookies after the class.
Tammy Hahn of Austintown got a group of old friends to attend the class.
“We try every once in awhile to get together and hang out and do something different,” she said.
The cookie-decorating class fit the bill. It was new to her, though.
“It’s a challenge,” she laughed. “No, we’re all having fun. We just have a good time, no matter what we do.”
Velt is very precise in her instructions, Hahn noted.
She said she might try the next class.
Another cookie decorating class will take place in May. Participants will decorate mason jar-shaped cookies and learn airbrushing.