Sugar Cookie + Royal Icing Recipe
This recipe makes a classic soft sugar cookie with a delicious buttery, vanilla flavor. The dough is ideal for roll & cut cookies so find your favorite cookie cutter and enjoy an afternoon of cookie decorating with colorful royal icing!
Simple Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon real salt
1 1/2 sticks (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, Beat butter and sugar together on high speed for about 2 minutes or until completely smooth and creamy.
Add egg and vanilla extract and beat on high for 1 minute or until combined. Scrape sides of bowl as needed to fully combine ingredients.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients with mixer on low speed.
The dough will be soft. If it feels too soft and sticky to roll, add 1 TBSP flour and mix until just combined.
Divide dough into 2 equal parts and shape into discs. Wrap with beeswax wraps or cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
When dough is thoroughly chilled, preheat oven to 350*F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll out dough with a lightly floured rolling pin to ¼ inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems sticky.
Using your favorite cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes. Continue rolling the dough and cutting into shapes until all dough has been used.
Use a spatula to transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet, arranging them 3 inches apart.
Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
Allow cookies to rest on a baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing. While the cookies are cooling, make your icing.
Royal Icing Recipe using plant based food coloring
Ingredients
3 egg whites
2 1/4 cups (450 g) powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional: matcha powder for green color, strawberry powder for pink color, blue spirulina for blue color, turmeric for yellow color, or food coloring of choice
Instructions
Beat egg whites on medium-low speed about 1 minute or until frothy.
Slowly add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla with mixer on low speed.
Once fully incorporated, increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Divide icing into small bowls and dye with a dash of natural food coloring powders if desired.
Put icing into piping bags and decorate cookies. Allow icing to harden then enjoy!
Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.