Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Create beautiful, buttery sugar cookies with smooth, glossy royal icing. These cookies are perfect for holidays, birthdays, weddings, or any special occasion. Fun to bake, customizable in shape and color, and long-lasting when stored properly, they make every celebration extra sweet.
Ingredients
- For the Cookies
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract optional
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- For the Royal Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp meringue powder or 2 egg whites
- 4 –6 tbsp water
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- Make the Sugar Cookies
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla (and almond extract if using).
- Gradually mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Chill dough 30–60 minutes to prevent spreading and make rolling easier.
- Roll and Cut
- Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface.
- Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
- Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
- Prepare Royal Icing
- Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder/egg whites, and water until stiff peaks form.
- Divide and color as desired.
- Adjust consistency: thick for outlining, thinner for flooding.
- Decorate
- Outline cookies with thick icing.
- Flood inside areas with thinner icing.
- Add sprinkles, edible glitter, or other decorations before icing sets.
- Let dry completely—4–6 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Chill dough and cookies to prevent spreading.
- Work with small amounts of colored icing for consistency.
- Use parchment or silicone mats to prevent sticking.
- Slice cookies carefully to maintain clean edges.
- Store fully dry cookies in an airtight container.