How to Make Cardinal Cookies

Coming up with a design for a cardinal cookie has been on my Christmas "to-do" list for a while, but I've always put it off.

To be honest, there was just one single reason I kept procrastinating. I couldn't figure out a practical way to prevent the tail from breaking without it looking too bulky or too frail.

It wasn't until after I came up with the designs for the other cookies of this winter woodland set when I had an "ah-ha" moment. Why not carry over the winter berry sprig design over to a cardinal? It was practical and it helped blend the pieces together as a cohesive set.

Now that a new cardinal cookie cutter design available, here's how I decorated it for the upcoming winter season.

Winter Woodland Cookie Cutter Set

This cardinal cookie cutter is part of this new 4-piece winter woodland cookie cutter set.

Each of these cookies are 4-inches tall and about 2.3-inches in width. As a collection, they fit perfectly in this BRP long cookie box (12" x 5" x 1.5"). You can purchase these cookie cutters as the 4-piece set, or each one individually.

Template for the Cardinal Cookies

To help with the decorating process, I made a PDF template of all the new Christmas cookie cutter designs, including this cardinal design.

Click the link below for the downloadable template PDF file.

• 2021 Christmas Cookie Templates

If you have a Kopykake or Pico projector, just print it out (or pull it up on your mobile device) and you are good to go. For those without a projector, follow the suggested steps below by tracing the design onto the cookie with an edible food marker.

The Decorating Process

To decorate these winter woodland cookies, you will need the following suggested colors:

• Holiday Red royal icing (I mixed Americolor Super Red with a touch of Americolor Chocolate Brown.)
• Black icing (I used Americolor Super Black.)
• Dark Brown icing (I mixed equal parts Americolor Chocolate Brown with Americolor Super Black.)
• Light Brown icing (I mixed the dark brown icing above with more white icing.)
• Holly Green icing (I mixed two parts Americolor Egg Yellow two part Americolor Forest Green, and a touch of Americolor Chocolate Brown.)
• Yellow icing (I used Americolor Egg Yellow.)

Step 1

Begin by applying a thin layer of white icing over the section where the sprig will be. Let that icing set.

Then fill in the red body section of the cardinal. Let this icing set for about 15 minutes.

Step 2

Next, add the wing by filling the red part and immediately follow with the black accent tip. Shake the cookie to smooth the wing icing together.

Fill the black face section, as shown.

Then outline the leaves and add squiggles to prevent the possibility of craters when it's time to flood them.

Step 3

For the final details, fill in the beak tip with yellow icing. Then fill in each leaf and add the two berries.

Add an outline around the cardinal body, add a white eye, and add the center lines to the leaves.

Video Tutorial

The steps above are summarized in this time-lapsed video.

Here's the cardinal cookies, along with the other designs in this set.

In this collection you can find the pine cone (and the coordinating stencil), the winter berry, and the woodland reindeer.

For gift packaging options, I love this BRP long cookie box (12" x 5" x 1.5"). All four cookies fit perfectly with wiggle room to seal them in heat-sealed cello bags.