Easter Sugar Cookies Pastel Icing (Printable)

Buttery cookies topped with colorful pastel icing, ideal for springtime celebrations and festive treats.

# What You Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

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 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon milk

→ Royal Icing

09 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 5 to 6 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
12 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients on low speed. Add milk and mix until dough just comes together.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into Easter shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place shaped cookies on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just turning golden. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10 - Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add water, beating on low until smooth, then on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
11 - Divide icing among separate bowls and tint each portion with a different pastel gel food color.
12 - Transfer colored icing to piping bags. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough is impossibly tender and doesn't spread all over the place—you actually get those clean cookie shapes you're hoping for.
  • Royal icing in soft pastels feels like spring in edible form, and it's way more forgiving to decorate than you'd think.
  • These cookies stay fresh for days, which means you can make them ahead and actually enjoy your holiday instead of stress-baking at midnight.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these cookies by even a minute—they'll continue to firm up as they cool, and overdone ones taste chalky instead of tender.
  • Room temperature ingredients really do matter here; cold butter won't cream properly with sugar, and cold eggs won't blend smoothly into the mixture.
03 -
  • If you want to flood the cookies with icing for a smooth, seamless look, thin some of your royal icing with a few drops of water until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream, then pipe the outline first and fill in the middle with the thinner icing.
  • Store decorated cookies in an airtight container with parchment between the layers, and they'll stay fresh and crisp for up to a week.
Return