Sugar Cookies are a beloved treat that combines simplicity with endless possibilities for creativity and enjoyment. Royal Icing Sugar Cookies were all the rage when my son was born. I knew I wanted to have them for our guests at his 1st birthday party. While I appreciate and have great respect bakers and their craft, at the time it was just not in the budget. So, I taught myself how to make these delicious treats. While I am no professional, it was a great way to stretch my creative muscles and every time I get the urge to make them my respect and appreciation for bakers grows yet again.
All these years laters, this recipe still proves to be a crowd favorite. While the budget has grown and my support of small businesses will always hold strong, it is still a nice recipe to have in my back pocket for a gathering of friends, a celebration of any sort, or a random rainy day when you want to bake with the kids.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 3 ¾ cups (468 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
- 1 cup (200 g) White sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Royal Icing:
- 4 cups Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Meringue Powder
- 8-12 Tbsp Room Temperature Water
- 1 tsp Clear Vanilla Extract
- Gel food coloring of your choice (optional)
Cookie Directions:
- Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside once sifted.
- Creaming – In a large bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. “Taylor’d” tip – Do not skip on this creaming step for the butter/sugar. Creaming works best when the butter is at firm room temperature, not soft room temperature.
- Wet Ingredients – Add the vanilla extract followed by the eggs one at a time making sure each is well incorporated.
- Wet to Dry – Next, add the flour mixture. Combine well but do not over-mix.
- Chill – Transfer the dough onto a work surface and divide the dough into two discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until firm enough to roll. This typically is about 30 minutes to an hour at least. “Taylor’d” tip – you can keep the dough chilled in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can even freeze the dough for up to a month.
- Roll – Once the dough is chilled; roll the dough on a lightly floured surface evenly.
- Cut – Using your favorite cookie cutter cut out desired shaped cookies and place them on a cookie sheet one inch apart. I used 3-inch round cookie cutters for these “medal inspired” cookies.
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F “Taylor’d” tip – It is best to keep the cookies chilled in the refrigerator while the oven is preheating. Chilled cookies will prevent spreading.
- Bake – Transfer the chilled cookies to the oven and bake on the middle rack for about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the cookies.
- Cool – After the cookies have baked let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool further before you transfer to an airtight container.
Icing Directions:
- Combine ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Mix on la ow speed with a whisk attachment until ingredients are combined.
- Turn up to a medium/high speed and mix for 5 minutes or until very thick, shiny, stiff and white. You want the peaks of the icing to stand straight up without flopping over.
- If you want to make several different colors, divide the icing into several different bowls and beat in the food coloring by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Once you get the correct consistencies for piping (check out suggestions below) place icing in piping bags and start decorating!
- After icing your cookies, allow cookies to harden at room temperature for at least 12 hours before storing.
Let’s talk about getting the right consistency for cookie decorating
The texture of royal icing determines the success of your cookies. Experiment separately before decorating your cookies.
Adding more water makes the icing thinner, while reducing water or increasing powdered sugar creates a thicker consistency. If you accidentally add too much water or sugar, remember that royal icing is quite forgiving.
There are three main consistencies for royal icing:
- Piping: Very firm and hardens completely after drying. This type of texture is ideal for use as mortar when assembling gingerbread houses. Achieve this consistency by whipping until stiff peaks form that remain upright when lifted.
- Outline: This holds the flood icing within its borders but remains softer compared to piping consistency. It allows for easy biting without a crunchy texture, making it perfect for sugar cookies. To achieve this, whip the icing to soft peaks that gently bend over when lifted, ensuring it maintains its shape without blending back into the rest of the icing.
- Flood: This is the glossy, smooth icing used to fill within outlined areas. It’s essential for decorating sugar cookies. For flood consistency, the icing should absorb back into itself within 3-4 seconds after being lifted, creating a thick puddle that retains its shape.
Transfer the icing into a plastic piping bag and cut a small hole at the tip to outline the cookies. You can also opt for a reusable piping bag equipped with a fine piping tip. Fill the outlines with flood icing, using a toothpick to smooth out any gaps.
Depending on your design of choice, you can now add sprinkles or decorations to enhance the design and unleash your creativity for a delightful and fun decorating experience!
Tips and Tricks:
- Using a spray bottle to add a little water to the icing allows you some control over the amount of water added at a time to the icing. This was first introduced to the baking world by Gail of One Tough Cookie NYC.
- Meringue powder royal icing can last up to a month if kept refrigerated. But it must be covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out and hardening.
- I prefer to use icing bottles over piping bags whenever possible.
Involve the kids or stretch your creative muscles. Either way, we look forward to seeing your creations! Don’t forget to share them with us or comment with a tip/trick you’ve learned along the way. Happy Baking!
