Delightful Easter Cookies (Printable)

Buttery, soft sugar cookies shaped and decorated for Easter celebrations

# What You'll 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 Steps:

01 - Whisk 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. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
04 - Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Roll chilled dough on floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut shapes using Easter-themed cookie cutters.
07 - Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are set but not browned.
08 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool fully before decorating.
09 - Combine powdered sugar, milk or water, corn syrup, and extract. Adjust consistency to desired thickness.
10 - Tint portions of icing with food coloring. Decorate cooled cookies; add sprinkles before icing sets. Allow icing to dry completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough holds its shape beautifully, so your Easter bunnies and eggs actually look like what you intended
  • These cookies stay soft for days, which is saying something given how fast they disappear
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional, I tried skipping it once and ended up with blob-shaped Easter eggs that spread into each other
  • The icing consistency should be thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to smooth out within 10 seconds
03 -
  • Rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking helps them brown evenly
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid thinning out your icing too much

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