Description
These Easter Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing are perfect for holiday celebrations. Soft, buttery sugar cookies are cut into festive shapes and decorated with smooth, colorful royal icing for a delightful treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract (optional)
Royal Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp meringue powder
- 5–6 tbsp warm water
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the large egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal parts, shape each into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut into Easter-themed shapes using cookie cutters.
- Bake Cookies: Place cutouts on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden.
- Cool Cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
- Prepare Royal Icing: In a bowl, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time and mix on low speed with a hand mixer until the icing holds stiff peaks.
- Color and Decorate: Divide the icing into separate bowls and add gel food coloring as desired. Use thicker icing for outlines and thinned icing for flooding the cookies. Decorate the cooled cookies accordingly.
- Dry Icing: Allow the decorated cookies to dry uncovered for several hours or overnight to set the icing.
Notes
- For best results, ensure cookies are completely cool before applying royal icing to prevent melting.
- Royal icing can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Use gel food coloring to prevent thinning of the royal icing consistency.
