THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Spend two cozy hours in the McLaughlin Room at Parkwood Estate learning royal-icing basics and decorating six adorable gnome and heart cookies. Perfect for beginners, this workshop supplies everything you need to leave with beautiful cookies and practical skills.
Spend two cozy hours in the McLaughlin Room at Parkwood Estate learning royal-icing basics and decorating six adorable gnome and heart cookies. Perfect for beginners, this workshop supplies everything you need to leave with beautiful cookies and practical skills.
Book with Parkwood National Historic Site
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Parkwood National Historic Site · Oshawa, Ontario
On a crisp February morning in Oshawa, Ontario, the Carriage House at Parkwood Estate becomes a studio of sweet precision and warm conversation. The McLaughlin Room — a bright, accessible workshop space inside the estate’s carriage house — hosts a two-hour Valentine Gnome Cookie Decorating Workshop that teaches beginners how to transform six pre-baked sugar cookies into keepsakes. This hands-on class emphasizes practical royal-icing techniques: flooding and outlining for smooth surfaces, layered designs for depth, and simple texturing that reads beautifully in photographs. Instructors supply all tools, piping bags, edible colors, and a bakery tray for safe transport; students leave with six decorated cookies and the confidence to repeat the process at home. With room for up to forty participants, the pace stays social but focused, making it an ideal pick for friends’ nights, date activities, or solo creative time. What sets this workshop apart is the setting and the clarity of instruction. The McLaughlin Room’s long work tables, sturdy surfaces, and natural light make it easy to practice steady lines and neat floods, while the Carriage House’s historic architecture anchors the class in a place that draws visitors to Oshawa for strolls through formal grounds and seasonal displays. The experience is part culinary craft, part cultural outing — a practical skill taught in an elegant, photographer-friendly room. Accessibility is considered: the venue is wheelchair accessible, check-in is inside the Gift Shop ten minutes before start time, and organizers encourage carpooling because on-site parking is limited. Note that there are no refunds, so double-check scheduling before booking. Minimum age is 14, and no prior experience is required. Visitors who like to pair indoor learning with outdoor exploration will find this workshop complements a walk around the estate or a coffee in nearby downtown Oshawa. It’s a small-group, low-impact activity that adds a tactile, seasonal layer to a day spent enjoying local history and green space. Whether you want polished heart cookies for a friend or whimsical gnome faces that capture personality, this workshop delivers clear technique and repeatable results. Come ready to practice steady strokes, share laughs, and leave with a neatly arranged bakery tray — a portable bouquet of edible craft you’ll be proud to show off. Check-in happens inside the Gift Shop ten minutes before the 10:00 a.m. start in the McLaughlin Room; organizers provide six pre-baked sugar cookies, all icings, piping tools, and a take-home tray so guests can focus on decorating. With a two-hour structure and step-by-step instruction, you’ll make precise borders, clean floods, and charming textures without stress. The class is wheelchair accessible, welcomes creatives aged 14 and up, and is a low-commitment way to learn a craft that translates to party favors, gifts, or small-business skills.
easy.
2 hours.
No special fitness required—this is a seated, skill-based workshop suited to most participants.
The workshop includes six pre-baked sugar cookies, all icings and colors, piping tools, and a bakery tray to take your cookies home.
Yes—no experience is required; instruction focuses on basic techniques like flooding, outlining, and simple textures.
Participants must be at least 14 years old.
Yes, the McLaughlin Room is wheelchair accessible; check-in is inside the Gift Shop ten minutes before the start time.
There are no refunds, so confirm your date before booking.
Please check in inside the Gift Shop 10 minutes prior to your workshop start time and present your receipt.
The workshop takes place in the McLaughlin Room within the Carriage House at Parkwood Estate, a notable historic property in Oshawa.
The class minimizes waste by supplying measured icings and encourages guests to take home leftovers; consider carpooling to reduce parking pressure.
Parkwood National Historic Site in Oshawa, Ontario preserves a rich cultural setting and offers a broad calendar of public programming that blends historic interpretation with hands-on experiences. The site presents guided tours and interpreted performances such as Servants' Tours and themed walks, alongside practical workshops in crafts, food, and floral design. Programming includes seasonal markets like Retro Fest Vendor Market and Winter Fest Vendor Market, community-focused events such as Parkwood Christmas Tours and The Way Home Film Location Bus Tour, and creative workshops covering stained glass, candle making, holiday wreaths, pottery, perfume making, and culinary demonstrations. Several workshops are taught by named instructors or partners noted in event listings — for example, stained glass sessions led by Emilie Shipman-Wight and Meghan Murphy and perfume-making presented by Dakaari Fragrance House. Parkwood also stages horticultural programs in its greenhouses, including floral arrangement workshops and guided garden tours led by site staff. Parkwood’s event listings show a mix of ticketed and free events and seasonal sell-outs, reflecting active community engagement. The site's public programs combine interpretive tours with hands-on learning opportunities across craft, food, horticulture, and holiday-themed experiences. All descriptions and event listings are presented in third person and reflect the programming and partnerships publicly listed for Parkwood National Historic Site.
Book with Parkwood National Historic Site