How to Make a Patriotic Flag Spiral Cookie Platter

If you've been following this blog, I'm a big fan of platters, especially around the holidays. (You can check out a few examples here, here, here, and here.)

Holidays can be crazy and busy with family and festivities. So with cookie platters, I try to come up ideas that are easy, don't take too much time to throw together, but will surely please the masses.

For this Fourth of July season, I created this Patriotic Flag Spiral Cookie Platter. There's not much skill or time needed for this dessert design; just outline and flood each cookie. For the navy blue cookies, an easy star stencil gets the star detail job done for you. Super easy!

I'll show you how below.

Spiral Cookie Cutter

Added to the shop is this new Spiral Platter cookie cutter.

This spiral platter cookie cutter works along with a center 3.5" circle cookie cutter. You can purchase both cookie cutters together, or as a single piece without the circle cutter.

(This is the same circle cutter used in this Snowflake set, and Floral Wreath.)

When arranged as a large spiral wreath, as shown in the example picture, the platter measures 12 inches in diameter.

The Decorating Process

To decorate this Patriotic Flag Spiral Cookie Platter, you will need the following suggested colors:

• Navy Blue piping and flood icing (I used Rainbow Dust Pro-Gel Navy.)
• Red piping and flood icing (I used Americolor Tulip Red.)
• White piping and flood icing (I used Americolor Bright White.)

Step 1

Begin by outlining and filling the spiral cookie pieces with red, navy, and white icing.

For this platter you will need four pieces of each color. (I made extra just in case some broke or I got hungry.) Set the pieces aside to dry completely (about 4 hours).

Step 2

Once the navy blue pieces are completely dry, it's time to add the star details. I used this straight star stencil in my shop, along with the Stencil Genie. (The Stencil Snap is also a great alternative tool for this application.)

Step 3

To add the stars, I went with swiping royal icing over the stencil. (You could airbrush the white details instead, if you prefer.)

Start with piping consistency white icing. (It will be kind of like pudding.) Cover the cookie shape with icing using a small spatula. Then with a flat scrapper, remove the excess. Try to leave behind a thin, even layer of white icing.

You can see this technique in action here.

Step 4

Next, use a cookie scraper to carefully clean up the edges of the cookie. Let the icing dry for about 1 to 2 hours.

Step 5

Finally, arrange the pieces in a flag formation. I added a center message cookie using a 4th of July graphic I made with the free font, Bodoni Antiqua Bold, and added it using my Pico Projector. You can make your own graphic or download the one I made here.

I love platters that are simple designs, yet create a huge impact.

When I debuted this design on Instagram and Facebook, many people saw a peppermint design as well that could work for the winter holidays. I loved that idea! I hope I can find the time at the end of this year to recreate it. If I do, I with definitely share the finished results with you all.