Pastel Flower Baby Shower Cookies
These decorated sugar cookies feature soft pastel flower designs, making them suitable for spring events and baby showers.
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Electric mixer
- 2- to 3-inch flower cutters
- Baking sheets
- Cooling racks
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract optional
For the Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- 5 to 6 warm water Use 5 tbsp for piping consistency, up to 6 tbsp for flood consistency.
- As needed gel food colors blush pink, butter yellow, sage green, lavender
For Decoration
- As needed edible pearl sprinkles optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough into 2 discs, wrap each disc in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut shapes using 2- to 3-inch flower cutters. Chill the cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking to help them keep their shape.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are set but not browned. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking tray, then transfer them completely to a wire rack to cool.
- To make the icing, beat the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 5 tablespoons of water until glossy. Adjust the consistency with the remaining water until you reach a 10-second flood consistency for your base colors. Reserve a small portion of the icing and make it thicker for piping details.
- Color the flood icing in soft pastel shades. Flood the cookies with the base colors and allow them to dry for 6 hours or overnight.
- Pipe petals, tiny blossoms, and leaves onto the dried base icing using the thicker icing.
- Add edible pearl sprinkles as accents only after the piped details have set.
Notes
Arrange the finished cookies on a white scalloped platter. Place fresh baby’s breath or faux florals around the edge of the platter for a finished look on your dessert table.
By Hanna Foster, Adaptation Specialist at Recipes by Betty.