Thanksgiving isn’t just about the turkey — it’s about the sweet details too.
Thanksgiving cookies decorated with royal icing are a festive, elegant way to celebrate the season.
Whether you’re a beginner baker or an icing pro, these cookies are a chance to turn your dessert table into edible art.
From pumpkins and turkeys to acorns and fall leaves, here are 14 beautiful royal icing cookie ideas to make your Thanksgiving extra special.
1. Pumpkin Royal Icing Cookies
Pumpkin-shaped cookies are the heart of Thanksgiving cookie decorating.
Outline and flood the cookie with orange royal icing, then add light brown stems and white swirl accents for texture.
Once dry, add shadowing with edible dust for a realistic look.
2. Turkey Royal Icing Cookies
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a colorful turkey cookie.
Use brown icing for the body and pipe feather details in red, orange, and yellow.
Add candy eyes and a red wattle for a fun touch. Perfect for kids and adults alike.
3. Fall Leaf Royal Icing Cookies
Create stunning leaf-shaped cookies in a mix of fall colors.
Use the wet-on-wet technique to blend red, orange, and yellow icing, then drag a toothpick through for veining.
Each cookie becomes a miniature masterpiece.
4. Acorn Royal Icing Cookies
Use two-tone icing to create realistic acorn cookies.
The top half can be piped with textured brown icing for the “cap,” while the bottom half is filled with lighter tan icing.
Add edible shimmer for a polished look.
5. Cornucopia Royal Icing Cookies
A symbol of abundance, the cornucopia cookie design features a horn-shaped cookie filled with royal icing fruits and vegetables.
Pipe tiny pumpkins, grapes, and corn in vibrant fall colors to complete the look.
6. Maple Leaf Plaque Cookies
Use plaque-shaped cookies to display elegant royal icing art.
Paint or pipe maple leaves with metallic gold or copper shimmer.
These make lovely gifts or Thanksgiving place settings.
7. Pie Slice Royal Icing Cookies
Recreate classic Thanksgiving pies — pumpkin, pecan, or apple — as cookies.
Use triangle-shaped cookies and decorate with colored royal icing to mimic pie fillings, crusts, and whipped cream dollops.
8. “Give Thanks” Message Cookies
Write holiday messages like “Thankful,” “Blessed,” or “Give Thanks” on rectangular or oval cookies using a fine piping tip.
Add simple leaf borders or gold speckles for an elegant touch.
9. Apple Royal Icing Cookies
Apple-shaped cookies decorated in red or green royal icing bring freshness to the dessert table.
Outline the apple first, flood the surface, and add highlights or shading for realism.
10. Pumpkin Patch Cookies
Create a mini pumpkin patch scene.
Use round cookies as your base, pipe brown soil lines, and add small royal icing pumpkins, vines, and leaves. This design is adorable for kids.
11. Scarecrow Royal Icing Cookies
Bring a bit of countryside charm with scarecrow faces made from royal icing.
Use tan icing for the face, orange for the nose, and black piping for eyes and stitches.
Add a colorful hat and bow for personality.
12. Harvest Basket Cookies
Basket-shaped cookies filled with royal icing fruits, pumpkins, and fall produce are both cute and detailed.
Use basketweave piping for texture and bright colors for the contents.
13. Pilgrim Hat Cookies
Add some Thanksgiving nostalgia with pilgrim hat cookies.
Use black royal icing for the hat, yellow for the buckle, and white for trim. Simple but iconic.
14. Elegant Gold-Trimmed Fall Cookies
For a classy look, outline fall shapes like leaves, pumpkins, or plaques with metallic gold royal icing.
Keep the centers simple in ivory or beige for a refined, modern aesthetic.
🍂 Royal Icing Decorating Tips
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Outline first, flood second: Helps maintain clean edges.
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Use a scribe tool: For blending colors or adding details.
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Dry completely between layers: Prevents color bleeding.
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Store cookies in a cool, dry place: Royal icing sets best in low humidity.
These 14 Thanksgiving cookies with royal icing prove that creativity and tradition can go hand in hand.
Each cookie design brings a touch of warmth, artistry, and gratitude to your celebration.
Whether you display them as centerpieces, gift them to guests, or share them at a cookie swap, they’ll be the most talked-about treats on your Thanksgiving table.
