This Self-Taught Artist Turns Iconic Malaysian Dishes Into Viral Cookie Art That Looks Almost Too Good to Eat

But 90's Pastry Studio? They've not only mastered the art, they've brought it to life on sugar cookies. Each piece is hand-piped with royal icing to resemble some of Malaysia's most iconic foods. It's the kind of art that makes you do a double take, and maybe love it so much that you don’t even want to eat it.

We spoke to the creator behind these viral treats, the self-taught artist whose cookie art has racked up thousands of views on TikTok, to learn more about her journey and what goes into crafting these bite-sized works of art.

The story behind it

Speaking to the founder, Winky, 35, she shared that she began learning royal icing techniques around October 2015, before officially launching 90's Pastry Studio in December of the same year. When asked whether she had a background in pastry arts, Winky revealed she was actually a self-taught artist.

“I was previously working in the beauty industry as a makeup artist and a skincare and cosmetics salesperson. I also used to work part-time as a children's art class teacher."

"It started when I was unemployed and unsure of what to do next. A friend told me, ‘You're so good at drawing, maybe you should do something with that.’ Then, I stumbled across royal icing cookies online and realised I could combine my love for art with cookies. That’s how it all began,” she said.

90's Pastry Studio is also a dessert business. However, after years of trying to meet client requests, Winky confessed she began feeling emotionally and physically exhausted.

“It just didn’t feel like what I wanted to do anymore. So I started taking fewer orders and began expressing my cookie art through short videos.”

Further elaborating on how she discovered royal icing cookies, Winky shared that she was captivated by short YouTube videos featuring cookies decorated with local foods, arts, and cultures. Realising that such creations weren’t common in Malaysia at the time, she got to work, and her first Malaysian-themed cookie, a Nasi Lemak, has since garnered over 500,000 views.

@90spastryfrostingtherapy Nasi Lemak cookie🍚🍛🌶️ my cookies journey 01 #cookiedecorating #oddlysatisfying #asmr #malaysiafood #sugarcookies #handmade ♬ original sound - 90spastrystudio - 90's Pastry Studio 🇲🇾

Behind the scenes

If you’ve stumbled upon 90's Pastry Studio’s social media, you might have noticed that most of the cookie art is inspired by Malaysian dishes. When asked about this, Winky explained that since food is such a big part of Malaysian culture, it was only natural to use it as a theme.

Although her videos are usually about a minute long, the process of creating one decorated sugar cookie can take up to two days, including sketching, filming, and baking.

To start, Winky researches image references online before sketching and cutting out the shapes she needs.

“Then, I make the cookie dough, cut out the cookie shapes, and bake them. Next, I prepare the royal icing and mix the colours before decorating, this process usually takes about two to four hours,” she said.

Can you buy the cookies?

With so many videos shared on 90's Pastry Studio’s social media, it’s no surprise that many followers have shown interest in buying the cookies. Although Winky admitted that her creations were never intended for sale, she is now exploring ways to turn them into products.

“The cookies were never meant for sale. I created them purely as edible art. But after some of my followers asked to buy them, I began thinking more seriously about it.”

She also shared that she’s received commission requests but had to turn them down to avoid pressure.

“’I shifted to videos to avoid the stress of custom orders and reduce the emotional burnout I experienced. But if the right opportunity comes along, I’m definitely open to the idea of opening up cookie pre-orders in the future,” she explained.

The highs and lows

Like any creative venture, 90's Pastry Studio has had its share of memorable moments and challenges.

Winky recalled one of her most heartwarming experiences, “A customer once told me, ‘Thank you, your cookies brought so much joy to my family.’ That message warmed my heart and made me realise that even something as simple as cookies can bring happiness to others.”

Even after shifting her focus to video-making, Winky continues to receive kind messages from her followers, something that brings her joy.

Translating food into art may seem therapeutic, but for Winky, one creation stood out as the trickiest to replicate.

“I think the most challenging dish I’ve recreated so far is Char Kuey Teow. There are so many variations depending on the region or even the person making it," she shared.

In the end, Winky said that she went with the version she was the most familiar with, Penang-style Char Kuey Teow, with prawns, blood cockles, bean sprouts, chives, chilli, and more. "Since there were so many toppings, I actually forgot to include one of the most important ones, the fried egg! But it turned into a really fun interaction with my followers when I asked if they could spot what was missing.”

@90spastryfrostingtherapy Char Kuey Teow cookies 🍪 my icing cookies journey 09 This is a premium kuetiau goreng, bcs the 🦐 🍤 is too big😂 Did you notice what I forgot to add? 🫣 🫶🏻Follow me for more edible✨asmr cookies video.🙌🏻❤️ #cookiedecorating #oddlysatisfying #asmr #malaysiafood #sugarcookies #satisfying #handmade ♬ original sound - 90's Pastry Studio 🇲🇾

What’s next for 90's Pastry Studio?

When asked about the future, Winky admitted she hadn’t thought that far ahead. For now, she’s focused on doing what she enjoys.

“Maybe in the future, there might be opportunities to collaborate with local restaurants or brands, like creating cookie versions of their products or helping with promotions in a creative way. I’m not sure if that’s even possible, but if any great collaboration comes along, I’ll definitely share the news with everyone through my social media.”