Autism Awareness Cookie Stencils with Matching Cutters by Confection Couture

March 22, 2022

Celebrate the most special among us with these Autism Awareness Cookie Stencils and Matching Cutters from Confection Couture!

Here's what you'll need:

Puzzle Piece Monogram Background Cookie Stencil
Autism Awareness Cookie Stencil with Matching Cutters
Additional Cookie Cutter used in this tutorial

4" Square

AirGenie Airbrush System
Gyro-Cut Craft and Hobby Cutting Tool
Cookie Magnets
Plastic Bottle with Dropper Tip
Quadrant Masking Tool (x2)
Stencil Genie
Screen Genie
DecoPac Airbrush Food Coloring

Super Red
Navy Blue
Gold Shimmer
Honey
Emerald Green
Midnight Black

Sugar Cookie ingredients
Royal Icing ingredients

Glad Press'n Seal
Paper Towels

Getting Started

The first step, of course, is to bake and ice your cookies!

Mixing Colors

For the bright yellow stencil elements, try mixing colors to get the perfect shade! Add a couple of squirts of Honey colorant to a plastic dropper bottle. Add an equal amount of Gold Shimmer, replace the cap, and shake to mix thoroughly.

As before, test out the color on white paper. If necessary, adjust the color by adding either more honey or more gold.

Preparing to Stencil the Yellow Design Elements

Note: When planning out where to put each color, I place the colors next to other colors that are close to them on the color spectrum. For example, I placed reds between blues and yellows, because they mix together to form other secondary colors (red + yellow = orange; red + blue = violet).

To airbrush the "HOPE" cookie, first separate the two pieces of the Stencil Genie. Place the thicker piece down, magnets facing up (or the thinner piece for thinner cookies). Place the stencil so that the design is centered within the square. Next, use two Quadrant Masking Tools to cover the areas surrounding the chosen design.

Place the Screen Genie over the top of this and then lock everything in place using the other portion of the Stencil Genie. Use cookie magnets, in stacks of three or four, to further help press the stencil flat against the cookie surface.

Test out your airflow on your AirGenie prior to airbrushing each cookie and color and adjust the flow as needed using the knob on top of the unit.

Apply the color in light coats just to the center of the "O" (and rays) using a small up and down motions. This will allow us to slightly overlap with the surrounding colors you will use. Use a chopstick or long needle to press down any portions of the stencil that are still tending not to lay flat against the rounded surface of the cookie.

Once finished, lift away the stencil tools and place your cookie aside.

Cleaning the Screen Genie

Whenever you switch to a new color, or if the colorant starts to build up to the point where it is "closing up" the holes in the mesh, you'll need to clean your Screen Genie.

To do so, rinse it with water and wipe dry completely using a paper towel or lint-free dish towel. Be sure no water remains before reusing.

Stenciling the Red Elements

Load some red colorant into a clean airbrush tool and repeat the above process to fill in the "H", focusing on the left side of the letter and slightly overlapping with the yellow color.

While you have red loaded into the tool, go ahead and airbrush the red puzzle pieces and square border onto the large square cookie. No masking is required for these background puzzle piece stencils.

Cleaning the Stencil Tools

To clean the stencils and other masking tools, simply rinse them using water in a bowl or from a faucet. Be sure to dry them completely using either paper towels or a lint-free dish towel.

Cleaning the Airbrush Tool

Before loading a new color into the airbrush tool, clean it thoroughly.

First, rinse out the reservoir 3-4 times using clean water. Next, reattach the hose and run clean water through the tool on full power until empty. Repeat this step, once more with water, and a third time using an inexpensive 100-proof vodka. Continue to run the unit for a few seconds after it's empty to ensure that all of the liquid is gone.

Stenciling the Yellow Elements

Repeat the earlier steps to airbrush the yellow puzzle piece elements.

Stenciling the Green Elements

Next, load green into the tool and airbrush the "P" on the "HOPE" cookie, slightly overlapping with the yellow and also with the space where the "E" will go.

Airbrush the next puzzle piece stencil using the same green.

Stenciling the Blue Elements

Now, switch to blue and airbrush the "E" on the "HOPE" cookie, overlapping slightly with the green.

While you have the blue colorant loaded, mask off the inner element of the lightbulb design using the Quadrant Masking Tools and airbrush it.

Next, airbrush the blue puzzle pieces.

Masking with Glad Press'n Seal

For more intricate stencil masking duties, such as the outline of the lightbulb, try Glad Press'n Seal. Cut a piece roughly the size of the stencil and cover it completely. Next, use the Gyro Cut craft and hobby cutting tool to trim around the lightbulb outline and also around the puzzle piece in the middle. Remove the plastic covering the outline, leaving the puzzle piece covered. You can turn the Gyro Cut blade sideways and use it to gently lift the corner of the trimmed portion of Press'n Seal.

Stenciling the Black Elements

Use the other stencil tools as you did earlier to hold the stencil in place over the cookie. Load some Midnight Black and airbrush as you have done previously.