Easter Sugar Cookies Pastel Icing (Printable)

Tender buttery cookies adorned with colorful pastel royal icing, ideal springtime treat.

# What you'll need:

→ Sugar Cookies

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, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon milk

→ Royal Icing

09 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 5 to 6 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
12 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades (pink, yellow, green, blue, purple)

# Method:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed. Add milk and mix until dough just comes together.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into Easter shapes such as eggs, bunnies, and chicks using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are just turning golden. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10 - In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add warm water, beating on low speed until smooth, then on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
11 - Divide icing among separate bowls and tint each portion with a different pastel gel food color.
12 - Transfer colored icing to piping bags or squeeze bottles. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and actually gets better after it sits in the fridge, giving you flexibility with timing.
  • Royal icing might sound intimidating, but once you nail the consistency, decorating becomes weirdly meditative and totally Instagram-worthy.
  • These cookies stay soft for days in an airtight container, which means you can make them ahead without that stale, hard-cookie regret.
02 -
  • Over-baking is the number one enemy of tender cookies; trust the timing and remember that they continue cooking slightly on the hot pan after you pull them out.
  • If your royal icing is too thick, add water one drop at a time; if it's too thin, beat in a bit more powdered sugar because there's no fixing runny icing mid-decorating.
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula when decorating because it gives you better control than trying to pipe directly from the bag, and your designs will look intentional rather than shaky.
  • If you're nervous about decorating, practice on parchment paper first so you can scrape off failed attempts and start fresh without wasting cookies.
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