CookieCon 2026 Orlando Electives
What are Electives?


Included with your CookieCon Attendee ticket is the opportunity to choose 2 hands-on Elective Classes to add your schedule (no additional cost). These specialized classes will help tailor CookieCon to you and your experience level and interests. Electives will take place on Friday and Saturday of CookieCon.

Electives will be released for sign-ups on the same day as Add-On Workshops (March 4, 2026 for Orlando, Florida). If you are a registered CookieCon Attendee, you will be able to log into your account after that time to choose your Electives. Be sure to have alternative choices in mind in case your first choices have filled.

You will also be able to choose your Class Track, which is the order in which you see the Core Instructors on Friday. You can schedule your Electives to fit into your Class Track breaks on Friday, and/or schedule them for Saturday, which is a less-structured day. The choice is yours!

Notes: Photos may not accurately depict an exact project, but rather illustrate the general technique or topic. The availability of sessions may not be updated in real-time. Please see our registration website for up-to-date availability. There are no waitlists for Electives.
Electives are subject to change. Please check back before purchasing your Ticket.

Friday Electives - June 26, 2026 OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Script & Sugar: The Cookie Lettering Lab with Stephanie Acquarulo
Friday, June 26:   10am  11am  1pm  2pm  3pm  4pm
Script & Sugar: The Cookie Lettering Lab
with Stephanie Acquarulo of Personally Yours by Steph
From font selection to frosting flow, discover how to transform written words into stunning cookie designs. This session blends digital tools with hands on piping practice for polished, professional results. You’ll walk away with a curated list of free commercial fonts and the know how to pipe them beautifully.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
The Art of the Watercolor Iris with Susan Backman
Friday, June 26:   10am  11am  1pm  2pm  3pm  4pm
The Art of the Watercolor Iris
with Susan Backman of Sugar Loo's
Step into a world where baking meets art in this water color elective. A class for everyone from beginner to the advanced decorator, we will paint one cookie and focus on the delicate beauty of the Iris. Using water and food-grade gels, you will learn how to manipulate pigment to create soft gradients, deep shadows, and the ethereal, translucent layers that make watercolor so enchanting. I will guide you step-by-step through the anatomy of the flower, showing you exactly how to transform a single iced cookie into a botanical masterpiece.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Summer’s Cutest Carry-On with Hilary Gudgel
Friday, June 26:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Summer’s Cutest Carry-On
with Hilary Gudgel of The Cookie Studio LA & Cookies are Everything
A cookie project inspired by summer’s sweet adventures. Let’s make some cookie magic! In this class you’ll learn how to create cookies that look fancy but are secretly simple. We’ll play with layering, stenciling, royal icing transfers, and even how to pop images onto cookies without breaking a sweat. Our project? The cutest little backpack cookie, decked out with playful “patches” perfect for summertime adventures. All the techniques you’ll learn can be mixed, matched, and adapted to any theme - so you’ll leave with skills that go way beyond this class. You’ll walk out with a cookie that’s clever, cute, and super fun to make.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
The Art of Glaze Icing with Amanda Henneman
Friday, June 26:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
The Art of Glaze Icing
with Amanda Henneman of Baked by Amanda
This class is a deep dive into the world of glaze icing. We’ll cover the core basics every decorator needs to know, along with advanced tips, efficiency hacks, and design techniques that take your cookies to the next level. Ideal for decorators of all experience levels who want a solid foundation and fresh inspiration and alternative options!
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Mastering Cell Phone Food Photography with Kimberly Houston
Friday, June 26:   10am  11am  1pm  2pm  3pm  4pm
Mastering Cell Phone Food Photography
with Kimberly Houston of Teach Me How to Bake
Your cookies deserve photos that reflect the skill behind them. In this class, Chef Kimberly Houston - retired pastry chef, former cookie artist, and founder of Teach Me How to Bake™ - shows you how to capture scroll-stopping images using your phone. Learn simple techniques for lighting, styling, and composition that make your photos as professional as your cookies.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Decoupage Cookie Designs with Joni Malfitano
Friday, June 26:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Decoupage Cookie Designs
with Joni Malfitano of Joni Kay's Cookies
In this beginner class you will be learning how to create a beautiful decoupage cookie. Whether you're going for a theme or simply a random design it all looks beautiful! I hope to see you in class!
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Realistic Royal Icing Hydrangeas with Jannica Mundy
Friday, June 26:   10am  11am  1pm  2pm  3pm  4pm
Realistic Royal Icing Hydrangeas
with Jannica Mundy of Jannica’s Cookies
Perfect for cookiers of all levels, this class teaches you how to mix and recognize true floral icing consistency by hand, then pipe realistic hydrangea petals and tipless leaves using royal icing. The focus is on texture, dimension, and control for creating lifelike floral cookies.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
ROCK your Cookie World: Mini Geodes! with Becky O’Dowd
Friday, June 26:   10am  11am  1pm  2pm  3pm  4pm
ROCK your Cookie World: Mini Geodes!
with Becky O’Dowd of Little Birdie
Add a little sparkle to your cookie game! Cookie geodes make eye-catching dessert table centerpieces and unforgettable favors for themed parties. Discover the tips and tricks to crafting these gorgeous “amethyst” cookies.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Cookie Collage with Canva and Eddie with Mayra Paloalto
Friday, June 26:   10am  11am  1pm  2pm  3pm  4pm
Cookie Collage with Canva and Eddie
with Mayra Paloalto of Sprinkles + Cookie Bakeshop
Learn how to create fun, eye-catching cookie collage designs using Canva - no design skills needed. We'll cover how to size your designs, print them with the Eddie and apply royal icing accents for a finished look. Perfect for decorators who want simple and cute ways to elevate their cookies.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
You’ve Got a Friend in Puffy Lettering with McKenna Plaza
Friday, June 26:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
You’ve Got a Friend in Puffy Lettering
with McKenna Plaza of Iced by Kenna
Take your cookie writing to the next level with simple tips and tricks for achieving puffy lettering.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Dynamic Watercolor Backgrounds with Elizabeth Suwanski
Friday, June 26:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Dynamic Watercolor Backgrounds
with Elizabeth Suwanski of The Pumpkin Moon Cookies
Learn to paint dynamic watercolor backgrounds to create movement in your cookie art using materials you have on hand. Whether you need a smokey brooding backdrop, a starry cosmic swirl or ombre glittering fairydust, this technique guarantees every cookie will be unique! You will learn multiple techniques on five different cookies and have the opportunity to create your own design!
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida
Full Cookie Transfers - Character Cookies with Dea Xhama
Friday, June 26:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Full Cookie Transfers - Character Cookies
with Dea Xhama of De's Licious Treats
Full cookie transfers are a stress-free way to decorate cookies, you can practice, experiment, and make mistakes without committing directly to the cookie. Come learn hands-on how to create character cookies with confidence.
Friday, June 26 - Orlando, Florida


Saturday Electives - June 27, 2026 OrlandoOrlando, Florida
The Myth-Busting Baker: Royal Icing Edition! with Rebecca Dugger
Saturday, June 27:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
The Myth-Busting Baker: Royal Icing Edition!
with Rebecca Dugger of The DociaMack
Have you ever wondered what actually causes color bleed? Or contemplated the true culprit of craters? Or asked yourself “Is butter bleed even real?” In this off-beat, science based class, Rebecca will help debunk all those icing urban legends that have you banging your head against your mixer! Get ready to have your mind blown on this episode of The Myth-Busting Baker: Royal Icing edition!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Cookie Cutter Lab with Cathy Hermina
Saturday, June 27:   8am  9am  10am  11am  1pm  2pm
Cookie Cutter Lab
with Cathy Hermina of Sweet and Spanglish
Designing your own cookie cutters is easier than you think! Learn key terminology, design do’s and don’ts, and how to avoid common printing errors. Create .stl files with confidence!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Hand Lettering - Finding Your Flow with April James
Saturday, June 27:   8am  9am  10am  11am  1pm  2pm
Hand Lettering - Finding Your Flow
with April James of Zhuzh Bakery
Learn how to create smooth, confident hand-lettering on sugar cookies without relying on a projector. In this class, you’ll build muscle memory, spacing, and flow using simple techniques that help you letter consistently and beautifully - every time. Perfect for decorators who want polished script results with just icing, a piping bag, and practice.
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Wet on Wet: Don’t Fret with Ashley Little
Saturday, June 27:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Wet on Wet: Don’t Fret
with Ashley Little of Twisted Sweets Bake Shop
In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll learn the magic of wet-on-wet royal icing to create a perfectly smooth, glossy cookie surface. Students will decorate a beautiful floral cookie featuring bold blooms, leafy accents, and playful texture using simple piping and flooding techniques.
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Dotting with a Porpoise with Leslie Marchio
Saturday, June 27:   8am  9am  10am  11am  1pm  2pm
Dotting with a Porpoise
with Leslie Marchio of Four Peas and a Dog
Set aside your icing and piping bags! In this hands-on class, we'll dive into alternative dotting techniques and tools that will help you decorate with intention - creating a playful dolphin design that proves every dot has a porpoise.
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Hopping Down the Painting Trail with Jennifer Moshier
Saturday, June 27:   8am  9am  10am  11am  1pm  2pm
Hopping Down the Painting Trail
with Jennifer Moshier of Prima Cakes and Cookies
In this hands-on class for every skill level, you'll learn tips, tricks, and techniques for creating intricate, edible art. Let's unlock the secrets of creating gorgeous, detailed designs using gel colors, edible markers, and dry dusting. You'll leave with a beautifully decorated cookie and the confidence to create more!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Markets & Pop Ups 101 with Annissa Neufeld
Saturday, June 27:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Markets & Pop Ups 101
with Annissa Neufeld of Sweet Wheat Bakeshop
Interested in trying out a market or pop up? From prep to set up, you'll learn all the tips and tricks for success!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Fondant 101 - Add Details and Dimension with Courtney Yopp Norris
Saturday, June 27:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
Fondant 101 - Add Details and Dimension
with Courtney Yopp Norris of The Pocket Bakery
Easily elevate your cookie designs! Learn simple fondant techniques that add beautiful detail and dimension.
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Stained Glass Bird with Darcey Peters
Saturday, June 27:   8am  9am  10am  11am  1pm  2pm
Stained Glass Bird
with Darcey Peters of Say It With Sugar Custom Cookies
Learn how to create simple but stunning stained glass using my unique method!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
Dusty Details with Lisel Powell
Saturday, June 27:   8am  9am  10am  11am  1pm  2pm
Dusty Details
with Lisel Powell of Sugar Rocks Cookies
Dry dusting with powdered food color is a great alternative to painting (especially if your painting skills are lacking), an easy way to add color when you just don’t want to make another icing color, and a quick way to elevate even the most basic cookie. In this elective you'll learn the ins and outs of dry dusting to add detail and dimension to your cookies.
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
How to Make Max Profit with Mini Cookies with Amy Smith
Saturday, June 27:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
How to Make Max Profit with Mini Cookies
with Amy Smith of Confections of a Midnight Baker
Hit a homerun with your customers and learn how offering mini cookies can help your bottom line score without going into extra innings for every order!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida
The Difference Between Painting with Alcohol and Water with Saskia Steinegger
Saturday, June 27:   9am  10am  11am  12pm  2pm  3pm
The Difference Between Painting with Alcohol and Water
with Saskia Steinegger of The Cookie Artista
This class shows how to create intricate-looking cookies in no time using 4 simple painting techniques suitable for every skill level. You’ll learn the difference between painting with water versus alcohol. We’ll also cover painting on transfers using edible markers and on wafer paper to give your cookie texture and layers. Let‘s have fun painting cookies together!
Saturday, June 27 - Orlando, Florida