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Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 112 reviews

These classic sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and perfect for decorating with colorful royal icing. Ideal for festive occasions, these cookies offer a fun baking activity for kids who can personalize their cookies with various shapes and vibrant icing designs.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Decoration

  • Royal icing (for decorating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder to evenly distribute the leavening agents throughout the flour.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
  4. Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the butter and sugar mixture until fully incorporated.
  5. Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, blending until the dough just comes together. Avoid overmixing to maintain cookie softness.
  6. Roll and Cut Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to your desired thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to turn a light golden color. This ensures they remain soft yet fully baked.
  8. Cool and Decorate: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating them with royal icing to add festive and colorful designs.

Notes

  • For best results, use room temperature butter to ensure proper creaming with sugar.
  • Do not overbake the cookies to keep them soft; remove them once the edges begin to lightly brown.
  • Royal icing should be added after the cookies have fully cooled to prevent melting.
  • Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours wrapped in plastic wrap before rolling.
  • Multiple shapes can be created using different cookie cutters for a festive variety.

Keywords: sugar cookies, royal icing, holiday cookies, butter cookies, decorated cookies, festive cookies