Do you see all of those fancy decorated cookies on Instagram and say, “I wish I could do that!”? Well, you can! All it takes is time and practice! And, of course, a few books that provide you with some instructions and inspiration are a big help, too! If cookie decorating is on your list of skills to master – then check out these books.

• Creative Cookie Decorating for Everyone: Buttercream Frosting Recipes, Designs, and Tips for Every Occasion by Emily Hutchinson

• • In Creative Cookie Decorating for Everyone, the follow-up to the beloved Creative Cookie Decorating, Emily Hutchinson takes you through decorating with buttercream, with hundreds of step-by-step photos. She covers each season and holiday with new ideas and designs for your cookies.
  • Unique to this book are instructions for how to flood with buttercream. (Yes, you read that right, you can flood with buttercream!) Emily shares twice as many (new!) delicious recipes while also including allergy-conscious cookies that everyone can enjoy. These recipes have been tested and perfected, so they are ready for the spotlight! 
  • Emily’s main goal is to teach you all her tips and tricks, which have taken her years to learn, and help you develop or fine-tune your decorating skills, no matter your background experience in the kitchen. Emily loves to see bakers succeed, and this book is sure to help you take your cookies to the next level.  
  • Emily, the creator of The Hutch Oven, has built a brand around creative ways to decorate beautiful and achievable buttercream-frosted cookie designs with trusted recipes. She passionately shares her gift of baking, along with her inspiring journey after her daughter passed away from SIDS in 2008. Her heartfelt stories will leave you full of hope and the feel of a warm embrace as you soak up valuable cookie knowledge. Emily is real and relatable, and it’s like you’re baking right alongside her. Creative Cookie Decorating for Everyone is as much about finding joy and peace in the kitchen as it is connecting with people while baking.

• Sweet Talk Cookies: Creative Designs for Birthdays, Holidays, and Everyday by Hayley Callaway

• • If you’re sick of the same-old cookies, if you can’t possibly decorate another bland tree or stocking, look no further. Hayley Callaway, founder of Hayley Cakes and Cookies (@thehayleycakes), has just what you need—whether that’s a taco truck and message cookie that says “Feed me and tell me I’m pretty” or a T-rex hanging Christmas lights. When it comes to designs, this is a book filled with cookies that have character, for year-round fun. Chapters span the seasons, including both holiday-related motifs and designs that simply celebrate something like summer fun (hello snow cones!).
  • If you’re looking to really make these cookies your own, you’ll love the creative lettering workshop. Once you master the art of writing with icing, you can customize to your heart’s content!
  • Inside, you’ll find all this and more:
    • A complete cookie class: Outlining all the key materials and techniques needed in the rest of the book.
    • Recipes: Hayley’s signature cookie and icing recipes.
    • Writing workshop: The key to making the cookies your own!
    • Christmas cookies: Just try and pick your favorite from the what’s crackin’ nutcracker, Rudolph the sprinkle-nose reindeer, and a cookie that is decorated like a tray of Christmas cookies.
    • Holiday cookies: Cookies to pop the bubbly and celebrate the New Year, fa-boo-lous Halloween cookies, ideas for your Valentine, and even a couple birthday party cookies.
    • Animal cookies: A whole farm of mini-animals as well as bears, a rainbow turtle, even unicorns!
    • Summer cookies: Have some fun in the sun with mermaids, fancy seashells, watermelon, tie-dye shirts, and more.
    • And even more cool designs: Cowboy boots, eggs and bacon, carved woodgrain, a watercolor cactus…the sky’s the limit!
  • If you are the type of person who demands cookies not only taste good, but be in good taste, this is your cookie book soul mate!

• The Beginner’s Guide to Cookie Decorating: Easy Techniques and Expert Tips for Designing and Icing Colorful Treats by Mary Valentino

• • In this comprehensive guide, Mary Valentino of Emma’s Sweets, a winner of the Food Network’s “Christmas Cookie Challenge,” reveals her latest and greatest easy techniques and designs that are perfect for beginner hobbyists. Everything is included to help you advance your cookie-decorating skills, including information on basic supplies and upgrades, choosing and using color, tasty cookie and icing recipes, and an array of cookie designs: vivid flowers, adorable animals, cute clothing, seasonal motifs, and much more.
  • She also shares the most up-to-date simple techniques for creating wow effects, including easy hand painting, embellishing, piping, color blocking, sparkly effects, and using molds. 
  • Watch your budding embellishment skills blossom with these ideas and inspiration:
    • Professional-looking cookie designs for every season and occasion
    • How to mix colors and create appealing palettes
    • Techniques and troubleshooting tips for getting the perfect icing consistency every time
    • No-fail, delicious cookie and icing recipes
    • How to get the most out of cookie cutters
    • How to achieve dimensional and texture effects that make cookies pop
  • Let cookie decorating star Mary Valentino show you how simple it is to create amazing cookies that taste as good as they look!

• 100 Party Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Super-Cute Cookies for Life’s Little Celebrations by Nadia Kalinichenko and Myriam Sanchez

• • Two extraordinary cookie decorators help you tap into your inner “cookie diva” with inspired and delicious cookies for every reason and season. Find design ideas for:
    • Special Occasions: balloons, party hats, and baby bottles
    • The Holidays:reindeer, bunnies, menorahs, pumpkins, and leprechauns
    • Kid’s Parties: pirates, mermaids, super heroes, ballerinas, and ponies
    • Spread the Love:includes themes for Weddings, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day
  • Cookie crafters will find everything they need to succeed, including step-by-step photography, clear instructions, and expert techniques. Create your own specialty cookie platters–or mix and match them to include everyone’s favorites–to the delight of your cookie monsters!

No matter if you want to make cute cookies for a child’s birthday party or beautifully decorated cookies for a friend’s wedding, with some practice, you can master this skill and create some tasty treats! Check out a few of these books to get you started!

***All book descriptions courtesy of Amazon