How to Make Unicorn Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Icing
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Unicorn birthday parties sure are popular right now. They really have been for quite some time, maybe since the Lisa Frank days? It seems appropriate that I’d create a fun birthday set for unicorn sugar cookies to share with you.
I decided to add some fun gold touches to the cookies using luster powder, too. This really sets the unicorn cookies apart from all the other unicorn birthday parties you’ve probably been invited to this year.
Of course, these decorated cookies are cute without the gold, if you want to skip that step. Painting on cookies is just so relaxing to me. I’d invite you to try it if you haven’t ever done so! I promise it isn’t difficult.
Follow along for the step-by-step video tutorial for decorating these cookies as well as a video tutorial!
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Skip to
- Part 1: Gathering your Supplies for the Unicorn Sugar Cookies
- Part 2: Baking the Cookies and Setting up Your Icing Bags
- Part 3: The Tutorial for How to Make Unicorn Cookies
- Part 4: Decorating the Unicorn Birthday Party
- Part 5: Frequently Asked Questions About Buttercream Decorated Sugar Cookies
- Save the Tutorial for Decorating Unicorn Cookies with Buttercream
Part 1: Gathering your Supplies for the Unicorn Sugar Cookies
To make these unicorn sugar cookies, perfect for a unicorn birthday party theme, you will want to gather:
- 3 Icing bags
- 1 Coupler
- One Wilton tip #2, tip #4, tip #10, and tip #16 – buy these individually at a craft store or purchase this kit that I use
- Gold Luster Powder from Fancy Sprinkles
- Small paint brush
- Vodka, if you don’t want a ton of vodka at home you can get one of those airplane mini bottles (50 mL)
- Unicorn Head & Rainbow Cookie Cutter Set as well as a small star cookie cutter, I used the one in this set
- Gel food dye for buttercream frosting in black, white, pastel pink, pastel blue, and pastel purple – find my crusting buttercream icing recipe here
- Sugar cookie dough – find my no spread sugar cookies recipe here
- Butter knife and plastic wrap
You may be asking, “What are couplers?” Couplers allow you to change your tips on your icing bags. Check out my page, Getting Started: Learn How to Decorate Buttercream Cookies, to learn how to do this. Essentially, you will attach a coupler to each icing bag. When you need to attach a tip, just make sure to rinse out the previous color from the tip with hot water. Purchasing a set of couplers is pretty affordable on Amazon: 4 Count Wilton Coupler Set.
Part 2: Baking the Cookies and Setting up Your Icing Bags
- Roll, cut out, and bake your sugar cookies according to the recipe. I like to do 4 of each of the 3 designs for each dozen cookies made.
- Make your buttercream icing and separate it into six bowls. You won’t need much black frosting, as that is just used for the unicorn’s face. Divvy up the other bowls as equal to each other as you can. Mix together the pastel pink, blue, and purple frosting shades. I prefer to use the Wilton gel food dye since gel is more vibrant (i.e. more cost effective because you use less) than liquid and doesn’t change the consistency of your frosting. Leave two bowls white, or undyed.
The pretty pastels! - Set up your icing bags as follows:
- Place the black frosting into an icing bag with the tip #2 in it.
- Place one of the white bowls of frosting into an icing bag with a coupler. If you don’t know how to do this, just hop over to my Getting Started: Learn How to Decorate Buttercream Cookies page. Attach the tip #4 to the coupler.
- To create the rainbow bag of frosting, lay out a piece of plastic wrap onto the counter. Place each of pink, purple, blue, and white frostings into rows on the plastic wrap. They don’t need to be perfect rows and you can use forks or spoons to help.
- Fold the plastic wrap in half so that the frosting comes together in a log, similar to rolling sushi. Twist together the sides and then cut one side off. Prepare an icing bag with a tip #16 in it. Place the rolled icing, with the plastic wrap, into the icing bag with the cut open side down. Squeeze the frosting so that it loads up the tip.
*Note, you only need a coupler on the white frosting. I just habitually add couplers to all of my icing bags…
- To create the luster powder paint, mix equal parts luster powder with vodka. I used a shot glass and did a quarter teaspoon each at a time.
Part 3: The Tutorial for How to Make Unicorn Cookies
Check out the video here to see how to make these unicorn birthday party cookies. Then, check out the step-by-step photo series tutorials for each decorated cookie below.
How to Frost Unicorn Sugar Cookies
- Using the white icing with tip #4 attached, outline and fill in the unicorn cookie. Don’t worry about going all the way to the edge with the hair.
- Use the pastel rainbow frosting bag with the tip #16 in it to pipe out the rest of the cookie. This allows the height to be more even for the rest of the hair.
- Pipe out the rest of the hair. You can follow the steps I did but basically, pipe “S” shapes throughout the unicorn’s mane. Make sure to rotate the bag of frosting between “S” shapes so that each color is represented.
- Using the butter knife, flatten out the unicorn’s horn. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
- Using the white frosting with tip #4 still attached, outline the horn and then draw two curved lines onto it.
- Use the black frosting with the tip #2 to draw the unicorns nose, smile, and eyes, complete with eyelashes of course.
- Allow the unicorn to “crust” for 30 minutes. In other words, the top layer of frosting should harden. Then, paint the horn and the white parts of the unicorn’s mane with gold luster powder paint.
Beautiful! I want those shiny gold highlights in my hair now.
How to Frost Rainbow Cloud Cookies
- Using the pastel rainbow frosting bag, pipe out the rainbow curves. You want to go a bit into the cloud area to make sure the cookie will be properly covered in the end. As you pipe out the curves, rotate the frosting bag so that each color gets represented.
- Use the white bag of frosting with the tip #10 attached to squeeze out clouds of frosting. You can do a little swirl at the top to get rid of points or you can use the butter knife to flatten them.
- Allow the cookie to dry for 30 minutes. Then, use the luster powder paint to paint in the white areas of the rainbow.
How to Frost Gold Star Painted Cookies
- Using the white icing with tip #4 attached, outline and fill in the mini star cookies.
- Use the butter knife to smooth out the cookie. If you want a more smooth cookie, check out my post for how to smooth cookies. I didn’t mind the texture from using a butter knife for these mini stars.
- Allow the frosting to harden for 30 minutes and then paint the gold luster powder paint onto the cookies.
Isn’t this set so fun and cute? These cookies would definitely be the cutest table decorations. If you end up making them, I’d love to know in the comments below. You can also tag me @buttercreamparties on Instagram! I’d love to see the unicorn party details.
Part 4: Decorating the Unicorn Birthday Party
It’s so fun to decorate an unicorn birthday party. Grab some balloons, streamers, tabletop confetti, and a backdrop and you’re good to go!
Part 5: Frequently Asked Questions About Buttercream Decorated Sugar Cookies
Yes, you can! I use self-sealing bags and wait until the cookies have completely crusted. For more information on how to successfully package buttercream iced cookies, check out my detailed post. I also include how to travel with these cookies as well.
The short answer is no. In fact, they store better if you leave them on the counter. The ratio of sugar to fat in a crusting buttercream recipe is high enough to be shelf stable. If you want your cookies to be safe from outside summer heat, though, you may consider storing them in an ice chest until it’s time for dessert. Put them into an air tight container and lay the cookies into single layers.
This one really depends on the texture of your cookie. If you have mostly line work and not many petals/leaves/fur/etc. then it is easy to stack the cookies. Make sure they have been allowed to crust for at least 8 hours before stacking them. To test if they are ready, use your finger and put light pressure onto the frosting. If it feels hard, they can be stacked.
If you have floral or textured cookies, I’d wait to stack them until plating for the party. Of course, allow them to fully crust prior to doing so.
Save the Tutorial for Decorating Unicorn Cookies with Buttercream
I hope you were inspired to create your own unicorn sugar cookies with this tutorial! Use the image below to pin the tutorial to your Pinterest account for later. Alternatively, use the social share icons at the top of the page. Thanks for sharing!
These unicorn cookies were so much fun to make with my kids!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I really enjoy how you make these buttercookies look easy! These unicorn design is great for kiddie parties too.
There’s an assumption that cookie decorating is hard, but it’s really quite simple with a little practice. I’m sure you could decorate these. I’m coming out with a free course soon, I’ll let you know when it launches!
I love to watch you decorate cookies. You are so talented. Perfect for a birthday party.
Thank you so much Gina!
Oh gosh these are super cute! They would be a hit at a kids birthday party 🙂
I’d love to attend a unicorn party with these cookies, so fun! Thank you!
These are super cute cookies, perfect for any unicorn lover!!
Thank you so much Cindy!