How To Make Coffee Filter Peonies {Super Easy!}

Updated 6.19.20

You won't believe how easy these are to make!  I made several of these coffee filter peonies for my nephew's wedding arch. 

How To Make Coffee Filter Peonies
My daughter and I did all the decorating for this, I couldn't have done it without her help and designer eye. We make a pretty good team! We were even kidding about how we should go into business together!

I just love how the arch turned out! They had the arch structure and we decorated it for less than $30!
Wedding Arch with Coffee Filter Peonies

This post is going to be a bit heavy on the pics, but a very easy tutorial is included!
Coffee Filter Peonies

So, let's jump right into it!! Here are the folding steps to create beautiful full fluffy peonies.

1. Fold the coffee filter in half.
2. Fold in half again.
3. Fold in half again.
4. And one more time in half.
5. Then cut the top off in the shape of an ice cream cone.
Coffee Filter Folding Steps

See how pretty they look all opened up?  Now, I'm going to show you how to get all these lovely shades of pink.
Coffee Filter Peony Color Effects

For a light pink only use a drop or two of red food coloring in a bowl of water.
Folded coffee filter dipping in Light pink color

For darker shades of pink use more food coloring.  I went even darker for some of the filters.
Folded coffee filter dipping in dark pink color

For a darker edge to the petals you can color the cut edges with marker and dip into water. They come out so beautiful and make the flower look more realistic.
folded coffee filter with marker on edges

After you've colored them, I squeezed out some of the excess and opened them up.  Then lay them out on a sheet of plastic. They dry fairly quick!

Next, you'll want some pipe cleaners for your stem.  I chose white, because I didn't want the stems to show. Cut the pipe cleaner in half.
White pipe cleaners for stems of peonies

Pick out 8 filters for each flower.  I suggest using different shades of pink.  It really makes the peony flower look soft and realistic.

Poke the pipe cleaner through the center of the filter, with about a ½ inch of the pipe cleaner through.
Poke the pipe cleaner through the coffee filter

I wanted these flowers to be sturdy and no risk of them falling apart and I wanted them to dry fast. One tutorial said to use white liquid glue.... really?  Who has time for that to dry???

Use a hot glue gun, you will be happy you did.  It drys quick and creates a very sturdy flower.

Apply glue to the ½ inch of the pipe cleaner that's poking out of the center.
Apply glue to the half inch tip poking out

Then quickly pull the filter over the glued area, pinch it with your thumb and forefinger with a twisting motion. It was kinda hard to get that motion on camera.... You want to pinch the base, where the glue is.
Pull coffee filter over glue and pinch closed

If you look closely, you can see the pinched base of the flower.

Next, use the bottom of the pipe cleaner stem and poke through the next coffee filter and pull it up near the base of the first filter.
From the bottom poke through another filter

Apply glue from your hot glue gun all around the base the previous filter and pull the new filter over the glue and pinch and twist again. You will continue this same process for all 8 of the coffee filters.
Apply glue around base of flower and repeat

This is the base I was telling you about. That end is very secure and is holding all of the filters together on the pipe cleaner.
Base of Coffee Filter Peony

I found eight filters to be enough for a fluffy full peony flower. This is what 4 filters looks like.
Peony with 4 coffee filters

And here is 8 filters. It looks so full and fluffy!
Peony with 8 coffee filters

Gorgeous! We mixed the "peonies" with some faux hydrangeas, it gave just the right romantic look.  I also made a few coffee filter roses. Those were a bit harder, but complimented nicely.
Coffee Filter Peony mixed with other flowers

One more look...
Easy Coffee Filter Peonies

Full Wedding Arch with Coffee Filter Peonies

Beautiful DIY Coffee Filter Peonies

I'm so pleased that the bride and groom loved the way the wedding arch turned out! (Btw... do you see the little 'go-pro' hidden in there? 😍 It was a lovely weekend spent with friends and family! Hope you try these out.  They would also be beautiful in a little girls room.

Blessings!

19 comments

  1. Fantastic idea, have an upcoming wedding and will definitely use these. D

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  2. I LOVE peonies, but they die so quickly. I might make some of these to go around the house instead of buying the real thing. Thanks for the tutorial!

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    1. I know they are soooo pretty! I'm so glad you stopped by!

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  3. Hi Lori �� just came across your page. These are so beautiful ! I am going to try them out today ! I am a big time crafty perso amd especially love the easiness and cheapness of your idea ! I am a sponsor for my daughters prom so I have a few week left to gather some more decorations for prom. We are having an "Enchanted Garden" prom theme & class money is tight this year so making some if these woukd be perfect for all the decor we are going with ! We have lots of "woodsie" lol stuff goin on. Using mason jars, tea lights, vines, etc. Any suggestions or other pointers you could give me to whip some things out? I love suggestions and opinions ! Thanks for posting easy steps on the flowers !!!

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    1. Hi Wendi! Awesome! It was so hard to even tell that these were made out of coffee filters. Sounds like the prom is going to be beautiful! Le me know if you have any questions!
      Blessings!

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  4. These are fantastic! Do you happen to have a tutorial for the rose in the background of the how to photos? Sorry if this posts 3 times...im having issues lol

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    1. We mixed the paper peonies with other faux flowers. They were ones we purchased. :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. can you tell me how many coffee filter flowers to silk you used?

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    1. Hi Michelle! I used about 8 coffee filters per flower. Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Wow Lori! this is an awesome idea! I think I can even give them a twist and do sunflowers. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  7. Great! I'm glad that you found it helpful! Hope your sunflowers came out great! :)

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  8. Wow! They look like the real deal. Peonies are one of my favorites....just wish the growing season was longer.

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    1. Hi Christy! Thanks so much! I know, I love peonies. I wish they lasted longer, too!

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  9. Wow, what beautiful peonies, am going to try & make these for around the home. Thanks so much.

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  10. So happy that this photo came across my Pinterest feed! I love to decorate my dining room table, and peonies are one of my favorite blooms. In fact, my great-granny's China features peonies. These will make such a fun project! Thank you for sharing the wonderful tutorial!

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    1. Oh! I'm so happy you found me! I love peonies too!  I'd love to see your finished project! :)

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  11. Hi, Loti! Beautiful, elegant, simple and inexpensive. My husband and I didn't get a “wedding” before as all little girls dream of. But, because of your tutorial and ones like it, I've convinced him we can have a gorgeous vow renewal that would rival any $50g wedding. In fact, two doctor's I work for got married and had a $1mil wedding and won't be near as beautiful as ours will be! ❤️

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    1. Hi Tabria! Oh, I hope you have a beautiful and wonderful day! So glad, I could help even in a small way!

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