Shaped confectionery articles, such as animal-shaped confections, are produced by repeatedly effecting the steps of (a) dispensing at least one volume of shape-sustaining edible material through a dispensing nozzle (14) onto a support surface (10), (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle (14) and the support surface (10) so as to form a shaped edible article from said at least one volume of shape-sustaining edible material, and (c) effecting relative movement between said support surface (10) and said nozzle (14); whereby to form a multiplicity of shaped edible articles (16) on said support surface (10). During steps (a) and (b) to form each shaped article (16), a portion of the material being dispensed is caused to adhere to the outside of the dispensing nozzle (14) so that it does not form part of the shaped edible article (16) being formed at that stage but is detached from the nozzle (14) during the next succeeding step (a) to define a visible feature (24) on the next succeeding shaped edible article (16). The relative movement in step (b) is effected in at least three consecutive stages such that each stage includes relative movement in a direction which is different to that in the adjacent stage(s).