Delightful Easter Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft buttery cookies decorated with colorful royal icing for spring celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

08 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk or water
10 - 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
12 - Food coloring (assorted pastel colors)
13 - Assorted sprinkles and decorations

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Incorporate egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
03 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
04 - Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut shapes using Easter-themed cookie cutters.
07 - Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set but not browned.
08 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
09 - Combine powdered sugar, milk or water, corn syrup, and extract. Adjust consistency by adding more liquid if needed.
10 - Divide icing and tint with food coloring. Decorate cooled cookies and add sprinkles before icing sets. Allow icing to dry completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving and practically impossible to mess up even if you overwork it a little
  • These cookies stay soft for days unlike other cutout recipes that turn into hard crackers
  • The royal icing dries with a gorgeous professional sheen that makes everyone think you spent hours decorating
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional because warm dough spreads and you will lose those cute Easter egg and bunny shapes
  • The royal icing consistency test is dragging a knife through it and the line should disappear in about 10 seconds
  • Adding sprinkles while the icing is still wet is crucial because they will not stick once the icing has set
03 -
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking because oven hot spots will make some cookies brown before others are done
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to keep your icing consistency perfect without adding extra liquid

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