Easter Egg Sugar Cookies (Printable)

Soft, buttery sugar cookies adorned with vibrant icing shaped like festive eggs.

# What You Need:

→ 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 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

→ Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 3-4 tablespoons water
12 - Gel food coloring in pastel colors

# Steps:

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 - Incorporate egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for minimum 45 minutes.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On floured surface, roll one dough disc to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut egg shapes and place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges begin turning golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth and pipeable consistency.
10 - Divide icing into bowls, tint with food coloring, and decorate cooled cookies with Easter egg patterns. Let icing set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving and holds its shape beautifully during baking
  • The almond extract adds a subtle sophistication that makes these feel special
  • These cookies stay soft for days, unlike so many sugar cookies that turn rock hard
02 -
  • Overbaked sugar cookies never recover their soft texture, so pull them out when the edges just start turning color
  • The dough must chill properly or your cookies will lose their shape in the oven and become blobs
  • Icing consistency changes everything, too thick and it cracks, too thin and it runs off the edges
03 -
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through for evenly browned cookies
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid thinning your icing

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