CSP-BPA8333 - Holiday Cookie & Cupcake Decorating
Course Description
Celebrate the holiday season while creating delicious treats that are almost too beautiful to eat! In this fun, hands-on decorating workshop, you'll learn professional techniques for decorating cookies and cupcakes using buttercream, royal icing, piping bags, specialty tips, sprinkles, and festive edible decorations. Guided by a chef instructor, you'll practice piping, icing, color application, and creative finishing techniques while decorating a collection of holiday-themed cookies and cupcakes to take home. Whether you're preparing for family gatherings, holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or homemade gifts, you'll gain practical decorating skills and creative ideas that you can use throughout the season. No prior decorating experience is required&; all skill levels are welcome.Course Outline
Students will learn the fundamentals of cookie and cupcake decorating through instructor demonstrations, guided practice, and hands-on decorating activities. Course content includes:
Introduction to Holiday Cookie & Cupcake Decorating- Overview of decorating tools, icing types, color selection, design concepts, and examples of festive holiday-themed cookies and cupcakes.
Decorating Tools & Food Safety- Safe handling of decorating tools, proper workstation setup, food-safe decorating practices, and an introduction to piping bags, decorating tips, royal icing, buttercream, and edible decorations.
Piping & Decorating Techniques- Learn basic piping methods, icing application, borders, lettering, flooding techniques, color blending, and decorative finishes used to create beautiful holiday-themed cookies and cupcakes.
Hands-On Decorating Lab- Students will decorate a variety of festive holiday cookies and cupcakes, such as Christmas trees, ornaments, snowflakes, candy canes, wreaths, gingerbread designs, and other seasonal creations while receiving individualized instruction, coaching, and opportunities to practice professional decorating techniques.
Creative Design & Holiday Presentation- Explore color combinations, decorative accents, edible embellishments, and presentation techniques for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, gift giving, and seasonal entertaining.
Project Review & Wrap-Up- Students will review the decorating techniques learned, package their completed holiday cookies and cupcakes to take home, and receive recommendations for additional decorating projects and future holiday baking inspiration.
Learner Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Demonstrate safe handling and proper use of decorating tools, piping bags, decorating tips, and other pastry equipment.
Apply basic piping techniques to create borders, lines, rosettes, lettering, and decorative accents.
Demonstrate proper icing application, flooding, color blending, and finishing techniques for professionally decorated cookies and cupcakes.
Use color, texture, and edible decorations to enhance the appearance of holiday-themed baked goods.
Identify the characteristics and appropriate uses of a buttercream, royal icing, and other common decorating mediums.
Create a collection of festive holiday-themed decorated cookies and cupcakes suitable for holiday celebrations, gift giving, cookie exchanges, and seasonal entertaining.
Apply creative design principles to produce attractive and visually appealing decorated desserts.
Demonstrate proper handling, packaging, and storage techniques for decorated cookies and cupcakes.
Identify additional decorating tools, resources, and techniques for continued skill development and future holiday baking and decorating projects.
Notes
Students must be 16 years of age or older to enroll in this course.
All cookies, cupcakes, icing, decorating tools, edible decorations, recipes, and instructional materials will be provided unless otherwise noted.
Students should wear comfortable clothing suitable for hands-on kitchen activities and closed-toe shoes.
Aprons are recommended, as food coloring and icing may stain clothing.
All participants are expected to follow instructor directions regarding food safety, sanitation, and the proper use of decorating tools and equipment throughout the class.
Students will decorate a variety of festive holiday-themed cookies and cupcakes during the workshop and will package their completed creations to take home at the conclusion of class.