A great shortcut!

If I don't have time to whip up a batch of royal icing, or I just don't want to take the time to make the icing and color it, I love using this:

You knead the package for one minute then snip off the top.  Outline your cookie first, then fill it in most of the way.  (I just kind of "scribble" or fill it in randomly.)  Do about five of these at a time to give each one a little time to fill in on it's own, then go back and use a toothpick to push the icing into the spots that didn't get filled in.  Easy-peasy and fast.  You can then put on sprinkles while it's still wet, if you'd like.  Or wait till it's dry to add more details.  OR just leave it how it is.  And the colors are so bright!  Here are some valentine cookies I did with this icing earlier today.  (I used a chocolate roll-out cookie recipe.)

{Ignore the little holes in some of the cookies.  A little "helper" used the tip of the frosting to poke some holes in the cookies.  I think she thought she was helping.  The frosting covered it up, at least!!}

{The red and white are the Betty Crocker brand.  Betty Crocker doesn't make pink, so this pink is a Wilton brand premade icing that you can buy.  I actually prefer the Betty Crocker one!}