How to Pipe Zig Zag Garland

Striking drama and great dimension can be added to gingerbread with the creative touches of zigzags. Just a simple back and forth motion can form beautiful drifts of snow on roofs, eaves, windowsills, and borders for doors.

Skill LevelBeginner

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

How to Pipe a Zig Zag

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Before piping, create a pattern to ensure even spacing and depth. Pattern can be draw on gingerbread house using Food Writer, dots of icing, or piped drop strings
Using a Tip 16 (or any small star tip) or a Tip 3 (or any small round tip) hold the bag at an angle.
Squeeze, moving the bag and tip in an up and down motion as you trace the pattern
To end a section, stop pressure and pull tip away.
Tips:
- The pressure on your bag determines the thickness of the line. Squeezing lightly will create thin zigzags and squeezing heavily will create thick zigzags.
- For even zigzags, try to keep steady pressure throughout piping. For zigzags with tapered ends, use a lighter pressure to start, increase pressure as you move down towards the middle, and decrease pressure as you move up to end the section.
- The movement of your arm determines the height of the waves and the distance between them. A tight up and down motion will create tight zigzags, and a relaxed motion will create a loose zig zag.