There are so many amazing flowers you can pipe with buttercream. I’m pretty good at roses and can do a fair daisy, but there are so many more flowers you can make! I had a good amount of Italian meringue buttercream left over from a cake I had just made to I baked up some of my no spread sugar cookies and started experimenting. First off I’m really happy with the way these turned out but ideally I thing you should use bean paste buttercream to make these like all of the high end Korean bakeries do. I still have yet to work with that medium but I know it produces an almost translucent and very smooth frosting perfect for flowers! The Italian buttercream worked well but should really be chilled as it’s pretty soft, that said they were DELICIOUS!!!
How to Make Orchid Cookies
Watch the full how to video above!
Start off by using your 127 tip to pip three sharp petals onto a piece of parchment paper. Sharp end of the tip facing outward, start from the center and move outward bringing the tip back toward the center to create the triangular petal.
After you have the three sharper petals piped it’s time to pipe the two large semicircular petals using the same 127 tip. You can use a piping bag with a contrasting color on one side for a variegated flower, I did some all white, some pink and some purple. Try and lift the outer edge a bit so the petal doesn’t fall flat. You want more definition between the different petals.
The last set of petals to go on are the hooded ones in the center. For this I used a 401 tip with a buttercream colored a bit darker than the contrasting color I used in the larger petals earlier. I added points of yellow along with a darker purple or pink to the center of the flower using small round tips. You should do this before you add the two hooded petals. Further detail can be added with a toothpick dipped in the darker buttercream. Once you’re done pop the flower in the freezer to set before adding it onto the cooled cookie.
1. Sift flour, salt, cornstarch into a medium bowl. Give it a whisk.
2. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add eggs. Mix until combined. Add dry ingredients to the wet. Mix on low with a paddle attachment until just combined. Drizzle in vanilla.
4. Transfer dough to parchment paper.
5. Roll into a disk. Chill for about 1 hour.
6. Roll dough to ½ inch. Use 2.5 inch circle cookie cutters. Bake at 375F for 12 min.
7. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water, then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat.
8. Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar and slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. When the kitchen thermometer reads 235-240F, drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately.
9. Run the mixer until meringue is cool/tepid. Switch to a paddle attachment.
10. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time. Add vanilla. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency. Transfer to a piping bag.
11. Transfer buttercream to multiple piping bags fitted with a 127 tip and 401 tip. Use the 127 tip to make a small base.
12. Pipe 2 large semi circular flat petals using the 127 tip with the thick side facing inward. Use the 401 tip to create 2 hooded petals in the center. You can pipe some yellow or purple petals in the center using a small round tip. Add little details with dark coloring. Chill until ready to serve.
Beautiful and delicate buttercream orchids top these sugar cookies for a dazzling presentation.
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 500g
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup cornstarch 60g
- 2 sticks butter 230g, room temp
- 1 cup sugar 240g
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 1/3 cups sugar 304g
- pinch kosher salt
- 16 ounces unsalted butter 454g, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup water 80ml
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Sift flour, salt, cornstarch into a medium bowl. Give it a whisk.
- In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
- Scrape down the bowl before adding eggs.
- Add eggs. Mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet.
Mix on low with a paddle attachment. Drizzle in vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Transfer dough to parchment paper.
- Roll into a disk.
- Chill for about 1 hour.
- Press to flatten and roll between 2 pieces of parchment paper.
- Roll dough to ½ inch.
- Use 2.5 inch circle cookie cutters.
- Place cookies onto a baking sheet with a silpat.
- Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool before decorating
Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar, slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
In a medium saucepan add 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat.
Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear.
Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.
Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately.
Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid.
Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time.
Add the salt and vanilla.
Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
Use gel food coloring to dye the buttercream different soft colors.
Transfer buttercream to multiple piping bags fitted with a 127 tip and 401 tip.
Use the 127 tip to make a small base. Pipe 2 large semi circular flat petals using the 127 tip with the thick side facing inward. Use the 401 tip to create 2 hooded petals in the center.
You can pipe some yellow or purple petals in the center using a small round tip. Add little details with dark coloring.
Chill until ready to serve.
Beautiful works of art! Well done!