Easter Sugar Cookies with Pastel Icing
Pastel icing gave these cookies a bright, festive finish. This recipe makes classic sugar cookies perfect for decorating for the holiday.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Pastel Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
- 3 to 4 water Use enough to reach desired consistency
- pastel gel colors For dividing and coloring the icing
Instructions
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the creamed mixture and mix until just combined.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out your desired shapes.
- Place the cutouts onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Slowly add the water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach a smooth, thick consistency suitable for outlining.
- Divide the icing into separate small bowls and tint each portion with a different pastel gel color.
- Outline the cooled cookies with the desired color. Once the outline sets, flood the center with the same or a different color. Let the icing dry completely.
- Add decorative details like dots, lines, or Easter patterns using the remaining icing once the base layer is dry.
Notes
For a thinner icing consistency needed for flooding, add water a few drops at a time until the icing flows smoothly off a spoon when lifted.
By Emily Mitchell, Efficiency & Testing Coordinator at Recipes by Betty.