Round piping tips

The round piping tip – also called a plain tip – is the most versatile tip of all. Its round opening is what you need for macaron shells, éclairs, choux buns, dots and smooth buttercream domes. Our range runs from fine royal icing tips starting at 0.7 mm for lettering, lines and cookie decorating up to large plain tips of 24 mm for meringue and cupcakes. In between you will find almost every millimetre size individually, Wilton round tips from 1 to 4 mm and handy round tip sets.

Which opening for which bake?

The size of the opening decides how thick the line of icing will be – and therefore what the tip is best for. As a guide:

• 0.7 to 1.5 mm: outlining and flooding cookies with royal icing, lettering on cakes, delicate lace patterns and tiny dots.
• 2 to 5 mm: bead borders, lettering in buttercream or ganache, small dots and details on petits fours.
• 6 to 12 mm: macaron shells, ladyfingers, choux buns, éclairs and small meringues.
• 13 to 24 mm: smooth cupcake domes, large meringue kisses, fillings between cake layers and mousse in glasses.

How to pipe neat dots, lines and domes

For round dots, hold the piping bag upright with the tip just above the surface. Squeeze evenly until the dot is the size you want, stop squeezing and only then lift the tip away with a small circular motion – this leaves hardly any peak. For lines, touch down, lift the tip slightly and let the icing fall onto the surface rather than dragging it. For macarons, a template under the baking paper keeps all shells the same size. Pipe cupcake domes with a large plain tip in a spiral from the edge towards the centre and finish with a gentle upward pull.

What to look for when buying

To get started, three sizes are enough: a fine one for writing, a medium one around 10 mm for macarons and choux, and a large one for cupcakes. The 10-piece round tip set or the 3-piece set covers several sizes at once. For royal icing, the dedicated fine tips are worth it, because even the steps from 0.7 to 0.8, 1 and 1.5 mm visibly change the line width. Small tips are best fitted to the bag with a coupler, so you can change size without emptying the bag.

Frequently asked questions about round piping tips

Which round tip should I use for macarons?

A medium opening between 8 and 12 mm is the tried-and-tested choice. Smaller tips suit mini macarons, larger ones are better for choux buns and éclairs.

How do I clean very fine royal icing tips?

Soak the tip in warm water straight after use so the icing does not dry, then clean the opening with a slim tip brush. Never poke it with anything sharp – the fine opening could lose its shape.

Round tip or star tip – what is the difference?

A round tip pipes a smooth, round line, a star tip a ridged one with points. For smooth surfaces, macarons and lettering choose the round tip; for rosettes and shell borders reach for Star piping tips.

You will find every other shape in our Piping tips overview.