Piping Tips 101

If you were stranded on a dessert island (see what I did there?) and could only bring five piping tips, which ones would you bring? Although I love a good tipless bag, there are just some times where I feel the need for a piping tip, so here’s a quick look at the most commonly-used piping tips in my decorating toolkit:

PME 1.5 Piping Tube

If I have 15 of any particular piping tip, it’s the PME 1.5 supertube. PME tips only have one seam, allowing for a cleaner line and less curling icing at the tip, so if I need a super clean line for writing or finishing off a cookie, I’m most likely grabbing this one. And the 1.5 size is so versatile—really the Goldilocks of piping tips, in my opinion.

PME 51 or 52 Leaf Tip

I will choose a PME leaf tip over other brands 99.9% of the time. It leaves a nice crisp edge, a center seam, and a fine point, and it can be used for leaves or pointy petals like those on a sunflower. Your results will depend on how hard you squeeze your piping bag and how you move your hand as you squeeze it. One straight pull will result in a single pointy leaf or petal. Moving your hand away and back as you pipe will result in a longer leaf with more body and ridges. The harder you squeeze, the fatter the leaf will be. This one tip can create a number of leafy designs, so it’s very versatile.

Ateco 131 Drop Flower

If I’m making drop flower royal icing transfers to have on hand, or even if I’m piping them directly onto the cookie, this tip is my go-to piping tip. This tip has a center rod that runs inside and protrudes slightly out the center of the tip. Place the center of the tip against your flat surface (either the cookie or parchment paper), squeeze your piping bag to start the flow of icing, and turn your bag about 90 degrees to express the petals (maintaining contact with the surface the whole time). All six petals will be piped at the same time, and you can then add dots or nonpareils toward the middle of your petals to mimic the center of a flower. How hard you squeeze your bag and how quickly you pivot your wrist will determine how large the petals are.

Ateco 101 Rose Tip

If I’m freehand piping florals, I’m most likely using this petal tip, since it’s the perfect size for use on cookies (there are larger versions that are better for cakes, but for cookie purposes, the 101 is ideal). If you are trying to identify what type of tip may have been used to pipe a floral, this tip can usually be identified by individually-piped petals with rounded edges, very often layered over each other.

Wilton 1M Open Star

Although we don’t carry this particular piping tip here at The Cookie Countess, it’s a great tip for adding large rosettes, piping large stars, and decorating cakes and cupcakes. I have to imagine there are cupcakes on this dessert island, so I need my 1M tip just in case.

Of course, basketweave tips and grass tips and star tips and ruffle tips are all perfectly nice and definitely have their uses. There’s just something satisfying about using a grass tip, not going to lie. But since I reach for them a lot less frequently than any of the five tips on my list above, they unfortunately don’t get to come to the dessert island.