Delightful Easter Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery soft sugar cookies with smooth royal icing and pastel decorations, perfect for Easter 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, at 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 1/2–2 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:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
03 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
04 - Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with Easter-themed cookie cutters.
07 - Place cookies on prepared sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are set but not browned.
08 - Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Stir together powdered sugar, milk or water, corn syrup, and vanilla or almond extract. Adjust consistency as needed.
10 - Divide icing and tint with food coloring. Decorate cooled cookies as desired; add sprinkles before icing sets. Allow icing to dry fully before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving and rolls out beautifully without sticking
  • These cookies stay soft for days unlike typical cut-out recipes that turn into rocks
  • The royal icing dries with this gorgeous professional sheen that impresses everyone
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is mandatory because warm butter spreads too much in the oven and you will lose those intricate cutter shapes
  • Rolling dough between two sheets of parchment paper instead of on a floured counter keeps the texture more tender and prevents adding too much flour
  • The royal icing consistency changes as it sits, so keep a small amount of extra liquid handy to thin it back down while decorating
03 -
  • Roll your dough on the backside of a baking sheet and the whole thing can go directly into the fridge without transferring
  • Use squeeze bottles instead of piping bags for flooding—it gives you much more control over the icing flow

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