Easter Egg Sugar Cookies (Print)
Buttery sugar cookies shaped like Easter eggs with colorful icing, ideal for spring celebrations.
# What You Need:
→ For the Cookies
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
→ For the Royal Icing
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 3–4 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
12 - Food coloring, assorted pastel shades
# How To Make It:
01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
03 - Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Beat until fully incorporated into the mixture.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with egg-shaped cookie cutter and place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake for 9–11 minutes until edges are just barely golden. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder in medium bowl. Gradually add water until smooth and pipeable. Divide and tint with food coloring as desired.
10 - Decorate completely cooled cookies with royal icing in festive patterns. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough is incredibly forgiving and holds its shape beautifully during baking, so your egg designs look crisp and professional
- These cookies strike that perfect balance between crisp edges and soft, buttery centers that makes them impossible to stop eating
- The royal icing sets hard enough to stack for gift giving but still melts perfectly on your tongue
02 -
- Chilling the dough is absolutely non negotiable because it prevents the cookies from spreading too much and losing their egg shape in the oven
- Watch the cookies closely during the last minute of baking because sugar cookies go from perfectly golden to overdone remarkably quickly
- Royal icing consistency makes or breaks your decorating experience too thick and it will not pipe smoothly but too thin and it will run off the cookies
03 -
- Room temperature butter is soft enough to leave a fingerprint but still holds its shape which creates the best texture for rolled cookies
- Sifting your powdered sugar might feel like an extra step but it prevents those tiny lumps that can clog your decorating tips
- Adding a tiny pinch of cream of tartar to your royal icing helps it set even harder if you plan to stack or transport the cookies