When I think of fall and scarecrows I think of straw hats, burlap, and sunflowers. I knew when decorating this cookie that I wanted to make her have a worn look. I wanted lots of texture and detail. I think the basketweave technique was perfect for the look I was going for. However, most of the basketweave I’ve seen on cookies is very precise and clean. Precise and clean was not what I wanted so I I put my own spin on it and the results where exactly what I was hoping for.
Here’s how to achieve the same basketweave look for yourself:
The first step is optional. You can either outline and flood the area (or entire cookie) you’re wanting to basket weave or leave the cookie naked.
I flooded the hat area for the scarecrow but left the heart cookie in the example naked for reference.
Next I outlined my shape.
Then I piped on two lines like you would see on a lined sheet of paper.
Next pipe short little vertical lines “jumping” the first line and ending at the base of the line above it. Continue piping the short vertical lines until you reach the other side of your cookie leaving space in between each vertical line.
Now pipe a third horizontal line above your second horizontal line. Repeat the vertical lines jumping the second line you piped starting your line in the spaces between your original vertical lines on the first line.
Continue this process until you fill your cookie or desired area.
If you’re wanting a nice and precise basketweave then make sure both your vertical and horizontal lines are spaced as equally as possible. If you’re wanting more of a distressed and textured basketweave like I did on this scarecrow hat then make some of the lines close together and some of them spread further apart. For the hat I wanted some places to look bunched up and recessed so I made the lines in those areas closer together. For the areas I wanted to look worn and loose I spaced the lines further apart.
Here’s how to add a small sunflower to your designs:
To top the hat off I added a small sunflower. I used stiff royal icing in a tipless bag, no decorating tip needed, (insert angels singing). To cut your tipless bag first find the seam. Now place the bag so that the seam is on the side, left or right side doesn’t matter. With the seam on the side cut a small “V” into the bag with open end of the “V” opening to the tip of the bag. It should resemble a little bird beak.
Start your sunflower with a brown filled in circle for the center. You can add chocolate colored jimmy sprinkles to the top to add texture but they were too big for my little flower.
Next take your petal cut tipless bag and hold your bag seam up. Place the tip of your little bird beak at the base of the sunflower center.
Create pressure on the bag and let the icing build up to create the base of the petal then slowly release pressure and pull out to create the petal tip.
Work your way around the center.
If you want you can add another layer of smaller petals in the offset of the larger ones to add depth.
To finish off your sunflower you can add tiny dots of the brown icing to the center to create the seed texture like I did here.
Cutter Information
Are you a beginner Cookier looking for a tried and true sugar cookie recipe that not only tastes good, but provides the best canvas for all of your cookie designs? If so, you need to get a copy of my Signature Sugar Cookie Recipe Ebook! The instant download ebook includes two Royal Icing Recipes & all my best tips for getting your cookies perfect every time!!
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Be sure to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram! I’d love to see how you are able to incorporate these techniques into your fall designs!
Until next time, Stay Sweet!
-April
