Pure Vanilla Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Classic vanilla sugar cookies topped with smooth, colorful royal icing for festive celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

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

→ Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 4 to 5 tablespoons warm water
12 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - Gel food coloring in blue, yellow, and white, optional for decoration

# How To Make It:

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 together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together.
05 - Divide the dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and glossy, adding additional water 1 teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
11 - Divide icing into separate bowls and tint each with gel food coloring as desired for themed decoration.
12 - Decorate fully cooled cookies with royal icing using piping bags or squeeze bottles. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving enough that even wonky cookie shapes somehow look intentional once you pipe the royal icing on.
  • Royal icing hardens into a satisfying crackle-free finish that makes these cookies actually giftable and stackable, unlike anything else you can bake.
  • You get to play with color combinations and piping designs, turning cookies into tiny edible canvases that feel way more impressive than they actually are.
02 -
  • If your royal icing is too thick, it'll be impossible to pipe and will crack as it dries; if it's too thin, it'll slide right off the cookies and look like a glaze instead of a decorative element. The consistency should hold a peak but still be spreadable.
  • Gel food coloring is non-negotiable here because even a tablespoon of liquid coloring will throw off your icing's texture and make it weep. This was the hard lesson that made the difference between cookies that looked professional and cookies that looked like they'd been left in the rain.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter is not negotiable—cold butter won't cream properly, and melted butter makes greasy cookies. Set it on the counter thirty minutes before you start.
  • The exact water ratio for royal icing varies based on humidity and how finely your powdered sugar is sifted, so add it gradually and trust the feel of the icing more than the exact measurement.
Return