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How to make Octopus Cookies with Royal Icing

Octopus sugar cookies are one of the cutest, most charming ocean-themed treats you can make. With their big bright eyes, cheerful expressions, and whimsical tentacles, these cookies add instant personality to any party table. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, a beach-inspired celebration, a summer gathering, or a full under-the-sea theme, octopus cookies bring a splash of fun and color to your dessert display. Their simple shapes make them approachable for all baking levels, yet their playful designs make them look like professionally styled party treats.

What makes octopus cookies so delightful is how versatile they are. You can decorate them in classic ocean blues and teals, soften them with pastels for a sweeter look, or go bold with bright rainbow tones for an energetic, kid-friendly vibe. Add textured icing, edible glitter, sprinkles, or fondant accents to make each octopus unique. Whether you prefer a cartoon-style octopus with a goofy grin or a more elegant sea-creature design, you can adapt these cookies easily to suit the personality of your party.

Throwing an UNDER THE SEA THEMED PARTY?

☑️ This Under the Sea Party Kit is the perfect set to get your party planning headed in the right direction!

Kids are naturally drawn to ocean animals, and octopuses in particular have a fun, slightly silly charm. Guests love choosing their favorite cookie from a platter full of expressive faces and colorful designs. You can mix octopus cookies with fish, shells, starfish, and wave-shaped cookies to create a full underwater story on your dessert table. They look adorable paired with themed cupcakes, cakes, and ocean-inspired decorations.

Octopus cookies also make wonderful party favors or creative take-home gifts. Whether you’re styling a full dessert table, decorating your party space, or sending kids home with something sweet, these cookies bring joy, charm, and a sense of undersea magic to your celebration.

Nothing says adorable under the sea party like some fun Octopus cookies!  These sweet little sea creature sugar cookies are sure to be a hit at your next birthday party or summer get together.  Want to learn to make them?  I got you, girl!

Making fun ocean themed sugar cookies is a great way to jazz up an under the sea themed party or a pool party.  These sugar cookies are so easy to make and so much fun.  I’m sure you will love them!!

They are the perfect cookies to match any color scheme too.  They can be made in ANY color.  So versatile.  One of the other super cool things about these cookies is they are made with a pineapple cookie cutter.  How is that for being an unconventional way to use a cookie cutter?

 

How to use Octopus Sugar Cookies

Octopus sugar cookies can be used in fun and creative ways throughout your celebration. One of the most popular uses is displaying them as the centerpiece of your dessert table. Their expressive faces and eye-catching tentacles make them stand out instantly, especially when arranged on cake stands, trays, or tiered displays. Add edible pearls or sprinkles around them to mimic bubbles for an extra under-the-sea touch.

You can also use octopus cookies as adorable party favors. Wrap each cookie in a clear bag with a pastel ribbon or place them in a themed treat box. Kids love taking home cute, colorful cookies, and parents appreciate favors that are both charming and consumable.

For a hands-on party activity, offer pre-baked octopus cookie shapes and let guests decorate their own with icing, candy eyes, sprinkles, and edible glitter. This makes for a memorable, creative experience that doubles as a take-home treat.

Finally, octopus cookies are wonderful additions to themed gift bags, place settings, or party boxes. They bring a joyful pop of color and personality wherever you choose to use them.

These cookies are perfect for accenting an ocean themed party.  If you are planning an under the sea birthday party…you can definitely whip up some of these adorable cookies for your party.  

These can be displayed on a plain white plate or with little blue sixlets underneath them for dimension.  So many possibilities!   

Ideas for an Under the Sea party

An under-the-sea party is filled with magic, movement, and colorful underwater charm. Start with a palette inspired by ocean hues—seafoam, aqua, coral, lavender, blues, and shimmering pearly tones. These colors instantly create a soft and immersive marine environment. Decorate with elements like bubble garlands, wave backdrops, jellyfish lanterns, coral-shaped centerpieces, and shimmering streamers that mimic the flow of ocean currents.

Layering textures is key to bringing your under-the-sea theme to life. Netting, chiffon, tulle, and iridescent fabric offer gentle, dreamy movement. Add seashells, starfish accents, faux seaweed, or ocean rock props for added dimension. Balloon garlands in ocean colors, paired with bubble-like transparent balloons, create an eye-catching centerpiece for your décor.

Activities can include bubble machines, treasure hunts, sand sensory bins, under-the-sea crafts, or storytelling activities featuring ocean creatures. Consider adding music to enhance the mood—a soft ocean soundtrack or upbeat aquatic-themed playlist helps bring the magic to life.

An under-the-sea party theme is versatile, whimsical, and naturally joyful—perfect for showcasing octopus cookies and other themed treats.

If you are looking for more ideas on how to plan an under the sea party, check out this awesome post full of ocean themed party ideas!

Also, this party displays some super cute octopus treats, you can grab some inspiration here!  Also, check out this tutorial for making jellyfish cookies!

Octopus Cookie Tutorial: STEP by STEP

Alright…let’s look at how to make these cute octopus cookies at home.  I promise they are super simple and delicious!

Materials:

Step 1:

First off…you need to pick your favorite sugar cookie recipe and prep the dough.  For this step, I like to add a little extra flour right before I start cutting the cookies so they do not stick to the cutting surface. 

Also I will liberally flour the surface where I am cutting the cookies.  Sometimes I add a little extra flour as I’m going just to keep things nice and easy to use.

Once your dough is ready to start cutting, roll it out to about ¼ inch thick.  Don’t be afraid of making thick cookies. Thicker cookies tend to bake better, decorate easier and taste super delicious.

Preheat oven according to the recipe.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough using the pineapple cookie cutter.  Bake the cookies according to the desired recipe.

Allow to cool completely before decorating.  I usually like to bake them the day before I decorate.

 

Step 2:

Prepare royal icing.  You can use whatever color you want for the icing.  You can add the gel food coloring to the icing until you have the desired color. 

Remember to separate your icing into separate containers to mix with coloring and set aside sealed until you are ready to use them.

Add small amounts of water to each container and mix until you get the frosting to the desired consistency. You will want the icing to be fill consistency (honey-like) icing.

Fill piping bags with royal icing.

Step 3:

Turning the pineapples upside down, you will outline the main body of the octopus with icing.  Then fill in the body shape.  Use a toothpick or fork prong to flatten out any imperfections in the icing. 

Gently place two large candy eyes into the body section while the icing is drying.  Allow to somewhat harden before continuing to fill the “legs”.

Next, Outline the middle “leg” of the octopus.  Fill in with icing and smooth out imperfections.  Allow to somewhat harden before outlining and filling in the outside legs. 

By letting them harden a little in between, you get more defined legs than if you were to fill in altogether.  

 

Step 4:

Once the icing is fully hardened, use the edible marker to draw smile lines onto the faces underneath the eyes.  Easy peasy and ready to enjoy!

 

Looking for more ideas for an Ocean Themed Party?

If you want to expand your ocean-themed celebration beyond octopus cookies, there are countless creative opportunities. Incorporate additional sea creatures such as seahorse cookies, mermaid tails, fish-shaped sandwiches, or clam-shell macarons. Add ocean-swirled cupcakes with wave-like frosting, or create a simple cake featuring coral textures and edible seashells.

Interactive elements help make the theme even more immersive. A “fishing” game using magnetic sea creatures, a treasure dive with hidden gems, or an ocean sensory table filled with water beads and toys can entertain kids of all ages. Crafting stations with sea-inspired projects—like decorating fish cutouts, painting shells, or making jellyfish from ribbons—add creative charm.

Decor-wise, consider adding floating bubble decorations, watercolor backdrops, hanging jellyfish lanterns, or glowing blue lights to mimic underwater ambiance. Lounge areas with soft pillows in ocean colors create cozy spaces for kids to relax or read ocean-themed storybooks.

With the right blend of décor, activities, and themed treats, your ocean party becomes a vivid underwater adventure full of color, imagination, and delightful details.

These super cute octopus cookies would go perfectly with some adorable Jellyfish cookies, don’t you think?  Learn how to make these Jellyfish cookies with an easy tutorial.  

Coordinating Under the Sea Party Supplies

The easiest way serve all the glorious party treats you make and buy is with some themed party ware. This is budget friendly and keeps the design flowing through every part of your party. Definitely a must buy!!!

Themed party ware makes a huge difference when you’re creating an ocean or under-the-sea celebration. Coordinated plates, cups, napkins, and serving pieces instantly elevate your dessert table, giving even the simplest treats a polished, styled look. When your tableware echoes the colors of your cookies—whether blues, purples, teals, or pastels—it helps tie your entire setup together beautifully.

Disposable party ware also makes hosting easier. You can serve treats quickly, let kids help themselves comfortably, and clean up with minimal effort. With a high-energy party full of kids, anything that reduces stress is incredibly valuable. Plus, themed pieces add a decorative element without requiring additional props or expensive décor.

Using matching tableware helps reinforce your theme from start to finish. When everything—from your backdrop to your treats to your plates—works together visually, your party looks cohesive, professional, and thoughtfully planned. It’s one of the most effective and budget-friendly ways to enhance your overall ocean-themed celebration and keep your style flowing through every part of the event.

Under the Sea Tableware from Meri Meri

Under the Sea Tableware from Oriental Trading

Under the Sea Tableware from Little Big Party

 

Under the Sea Printables

You can grab these fun and easy to use printables from my shop:

 

 

 

 

Conclusion for DIY Octopus Cookies:

Octopus sugar cookies bring a burst of fun and whimsical charm to any ocean-themed celebration. Their vibrant colors, adorable expressions, and playful shapes instantly elevate your dessert table and add personality to your event. Whether you’re planning a small gathering or a fully decorated under-the-sea extravaganza, these cookies help bring your creative vision to life in a way that feels joyful, imaginative, and beautifully styled.

Part of their magic comes from how versatile they are. Octopus cookies can be decorated with simple icing and candy eyes, or they can include intricate details and textured fondant work. No matter how detailed you choose to go, the result is always adorable. These cookies shine on a dessert table filled with ocean treats, acting as the visual centerpiece that draws guests in and sets the tone for the celebration.

Combining octopus cookies with themed décor creates an immersive underwater experience. Soft ocean colors, wave textures, shimmering accents, and playful details like starfish, bubble garlands, or coral props help create a cohesive environment. Kids love the colorful decorations and expressive sea creatures, making the whole experience feel magical and alive.

Activities help weave the theme deeper into your celebration. Decorating cookies, crafting sea creatures, or exploring bubbles and sensory bins gives children a connection to your underwater world. These shared moments become core memories, filled with laughter and creativity.

Themed party ware completes your design story. Coordinated plates and napkins help your treats look professionally styled while making cleanup simple and stress-free. The consistency created by matching tableware helps your overall aesthetic flow seamlessly from snacks to dessert to activities.

The true beauty of an under-the-sea party lies in the joy it creates. Watching children choose their favorite octopus cookie, dance among bubbles, or explore ocean-themed activities is deeply rewarding. These celebrations bring families together, spark imagination, and create sweet nostalgic moments your child will remember long after the party ends.

From the first adorable octopus cookie to the final wave-inspired decoration, your theme builds an underwater world full of color, magic, and playful charm. With thoughtful treats, cohesive décor, creative activities, and a splash of imagination, your ocean party becomes a celebration that feels joyful, enchanting, and utterly unforgettable.

These super easy octopus cookies are perfect for a birthday party in the summer.  They are super simple to make and oh so cute!  You will love making these cute little sea creature cookies.  

If you love this tutorial, please pin this image to your birthday Pinterest board:

Related posts for making Octopus shaped Cookies:

Thank you for reading my Royal iced Octopus Cookies!