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festive decorated sugar cookie recipe

Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Resting Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 39 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 2 Baking sheet
  • 2 silicone baking mat or sheet parchment paper
  • 4 Cookie cutter
  • 1 Cooling rack
  • 3 piping bag
  • 3 small round piping tip No. 2 or 3
  • 1 toothpick or scribe tool
  • 1 Measuring cups set
  • 1 Measuring spoons set
  • 1 Fine sieve

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 to 3 tablespoon meringue powder
  • 4 to 6 tablespoon water room temperature, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for icing
  • gel food coloring assorted
  • 2 tablespoon holiday sprinkles optional

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
  • Cream butter and granulated sugar in a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined.
  • Add dry ingredients in two additions and mix on low just until a soft dough forms and pulls from the bowl.
  • Divide dough in half, pat into two disks, wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
  • Roll one dough disk between two sheets of parchment to 1/4 inch thickness.
  • Cut shapes with cookie cutters, transfer to prepared sheets, and re-roll scraps as needed.
  • Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes until set and just barely golden on the edges.
  • Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
  • For royal icing, whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder, then add 4 tablespoons water and vanilla and beat 2 to 3 minutes until glossy with soft peaks.
  • Adjust icing to piping consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or a few drops of water to thin.
  • Divide icing into bowls, color with gel food coloring, and load into piping bags fitted with small round tips.
  • Outline cookies with thicker icing, then thin a portion with water to flood consistency and fill the centers.
  • Use a toothpick to nudge icing into corners and pop air bubbles, then add sprinkles if using.
  • Let iced cookies dry at room temperature until surface is set, 2 to 4 hours, before stacking or packaging.

Notes

Chilling keeps shapes sharp and minimizes spread, so don’t skip it and re-chill cut dough if it warms up. For clean edges, roll dough between parchment and lift scraps away rather than lifting the shapes. Aim for two icing consistencies: a thicker outline and a thinner flood that ribbons back in 10 to 12 seconds. Keep icing covered with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent crusting, and work in small batches. Bake one sheet at a time for even results and pull cookies before browning for tender, soft centers. If you don’t have meringue powder, pasteurized egg whites can substitute; whip to soft peaks before thinning. Store cookies airtight up to 5 days or freeze undecorated cookies for 2 months; thaw before icing.
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