Description
These Easter Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing are a delightful treat perfect for holiday celebrations. Soft, buttery sugar cookies are cut into festive shapes and decorated with smooth, glossy royal icing that hardens to a beautiful finish. This recipe is ideal for family baking sessions and makes about 24 charming cookies that are as fun to decorate as they are to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cookies:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the royal icing:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 6 tablespoons warm water (more as needed)
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure they are evenly combined and aerated.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together using a hand mixer until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes, to incorporate air for tender cookies.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the large egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully combined, ensuring a smooth batter.
- Combine dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a smooth and cohesive dough forms, careful not to overmix to maintain tenderness.
- Chill dough: Divide the dough in half and shape each into a disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up, making it easier to roll out and cut cookies.
- Preheat oven and prepare dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness to ensure even baking and that cookies hold their shape.
- Cut shapes: Use Easter-themed cookie cutters such as eggs, bunnies, or flowers to cut desired shapes. Transfer these shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them adequately to prevent sticking.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown, indicating they are done but still soft inside.
- Cool cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet, which is essential before applying icing to prevent melting.
- Prepare royal icing: In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and warm water. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 5–7 minutes until the icing is glossy, thick, and pipeable. Adjust consistency with small amounts of water if necessary for desired thickness.
- Color icing and decorate: Divide the prepared royal icing into bowls and tint each with gel food coloring as desired. Use piping bags or squeeze bottles to pipe or flood the icing onto cooled cookies, creating intricate Easter designs.
- Dry icing: Allow the icing to dry thoroughly for several hours or preferably overnight to harden completely, ensuring decorated cookies maintain their beautiful appearance.
Notes
- For best flavor and texture, make and chill the dough the day before baking to allow the flavors to develop.
- Royal icing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature and stir before using again.
- Use piping bags fitted with fine tips or squeeze bottles for detailed and precise icing decorations.
- If almond extract is not available, it can be omitted without significantly affecting the flavor.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container once decorated and icing is dry to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
