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Piping bags are a super helpful baking tool that can be used for lots of different things beyond the obvious frosting and decorating purposes.  I use them for macarons, fillings, shaping cookies, and portioning.  Super useful, but sometimes super tricky to fill without making a mess!  Here’s a couple tricks I’ve found to make it easier.

First, make sure the hole you cut for your piping tip isn’t too big, otherwise you might squeeze it out with your filling and blowouts are no fun!  Fold the top of the bag out.  Cup the bag with your fingers so you have a nice edge to scrape your frosting/filling/whatever into.  Be sure not to over fill!  Unroll the bag and twist the top tightly.  This bit of pressure helps you to squeeze the bag evenly.

You might find sometimes that your filling/frosting/whatever is a bit runny and just oozes out of the bag when you’re trying to fill it.  No problem!  Find a cup or container that is about the same size as your piping bag (I use a quart size storage container like you get for to go pho) and rest the piping bag inside with the tip pointing up slightly.  Roll the edge of the bag around the outside of the container and fill!

If you need to put your piping bag down, set it back inside the container with the tip pointing up so it doesn’t spill.

Other piping bag thoughts – I use disposable bags because life’s too short to wash reusable bags.  Beware if you are refilling your bag there will be an air bubble between your old frosting and new frosting that will explode out.  I usually just make sure to squeeze out all the old frosting before using the new batch.  When you’re done with your tips, collect them in a small container to wash.  Otherwise they will go down your drain and you will grind them up in your disposal.  (Guilty!)