An Easy Way to Make Your Own Piping Bag
A piping bag is not something I would classify as a “regular” kitchen tool. Former chefs and pastry chefs will keep them in their home kitchens because the cheap, flexible conical bag has proven its worth time and time again, but the average home cook doesn’t need one—that is, until they need one. I’m not here to convince you to buy something new that you’re not comfortable using (at least not today). Plus, it won’t help if you need a piping bag right now. Instead, just grab the next best thing: a zippered storage bag.
What is a piping bag?
As I said before, a piping bag is a conical bag. They can be made from a piece of parchment paper, disposable plastic, or reusable coated fabric . They come in a variety of sizes, from the size of your hand for making precise drawings and writing with chocolate, to the length of your hand for dispensing large amounts of dough. You can use a piping bag alone or in combination with a piping tip to create interesting designs and patterns.
How to make a pastry bag with your own hands.
The important part of a piping bag is that its shape allows the filling to gather at one point, otherwise it’s just a plastic bag. Therefore, you can use any plastic bag that has a corner that imitates the shape. The most accessible ones are probably the plastic zip-top sandwich bags and storage bags found in your kitchen drawer.
If you are not using a pipe tip
1. Sew the hole closed with a cuff.
Fold back the first inch or two of the opening of the zipper bag. This helps keep the bag open and ensures there is no icing or jam (or in my case, deviled egg filling) left on the outside of the bag. This may cause your grip to slip, and, of course, it will be neater this way.
2. Add toppings of your choice.
I usually mean one of two angles. Load the bag close to this side so you don’t have to move the filling around too much later.
3. Seal the top
Squeeze out the air and twist the plastic over the filling. You don’t actually have to zip the top of the bag, but you can if you want. The twisted plastic will prevent the filling from creeping back out. Maintain the turn with your dominant hand.
4. Cut off the corner
When you are ready to use the bag, use scissors to cut off the corner of the bag. Start small. A tiny plastic triangle should come off. Test the piping bag by squeezing some filling onto the cake or wherever you plan to use it. If it’s too small, you can always cut more, but you won’t be able to make the hole smaller. Your piping bag is ready to use.
Please note: you should be careful if your zipper bag has a “leg.” This means the underside folds down to open so the bag can stand up. In my freezer bag this is shown in the photos above. The problem is that the corner is not just one simple seam, so cutting it will actually create two holes, or one huge hole if you cut the corner too far. While this works for filling my deviled eggs (actually made a fun pattern) or for tasks that don’t require much precision, these types of bags will make it difficult for you to install the piping attachment or do any finishing work.
If you are using a pipe fitting
This is completely optional: there is no shame in having a simple round hole. However, edging attachments can come in handy for design or to add structure to the end of the bag if you’re stuffing something like donuts or cream puffs. Make sure your plastic storage bag has a simple one-seam design and does not have a “leg” (for the reasons stated above). You can compare the angle of the bag I used in the photos above to the design of the one I use in the photos below.
1. Sew the hole closed with a cuff.
Fold the top edge of the plastic bag outward an inch or two to fit the cuffs over it. This will prevent the filling from getting onto the outside of the bag.
2. Add the conduit tip.
If you are using a piping attachment, place it in the bag and insert it into one of the corners. Don’t make it too tight, but pay attention to where the tip hole ends. You’ll be fine there.
3. Cut the bag
You want the entire tip design to be visible, so once you see where it is, move the tip away from the corner of the bag. Use sharp scissors to cut a corner at this point. Press the tip firmly against the corner to see if the design is cut or not. If it is cut off, cut another piece from the hole. Cut off a little at a time. If you cut too much, the tip of the piping will pop out.
4. Add filling
Fold the tip of the bag over to prevent the filling from leaking out while loading the bag. Place the bag in a measuring cup or pint glass so that the tip of the trim stays curled back so you can easily load the bag. Add the filling and twist the top of the bag. Your piping bag is ready to use.
When do you use a piping bag?
Pastry bags will help you complete a range of culinary tasks faster, with greater ease and less cleanup. You can use a piping bag to decorate cookies and cakes with frosting. Fill a bag with cookie dough and line with six dozen buttered cookies. Fill homemade donuts with jam. Spoon topping onto twice-baked potatoes or deviled eggs. Fill the dumpling skins with the famous pork mixture. Any time you need to fill, scoop, or add filling with a tiny spoon, it’s time to consider making your own piping bag.