Description
These Easter Egg Sugar Cookies are a delightful springtime treat featuring a soft, buttery cookie base decorated with colorful pastel royal icing. Perfect for festive celebrations, this recipe combines classic sugar cookie flavors with vibrant, detailed icing designs.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
Royal Icing
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 9–12 tablespoons water (room temperature)
- Gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking powder. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a hand or stand mixer, beat ½ cup softened unsalted butter and ⅔ cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon lemon extract (if using) to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until there are no streaks of flour remaining and the dough is cohesive.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Divide the dough into 2-3 sections. Roll each section out on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Use Easter egg cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Gather scraps, let rest for 5 minutes, then reroll and cut until the dough is used.
- Bake Cookies: Place the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 ½ inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes until the edges are set and cookies are very lightly colored.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes to set their shape, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Royal Icing – Base: In a large bowl, mix 4 cups sifted powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons meringue powder on low speed using a whisk attachment. Add 1 tablespoon light corn syrup and 8 tablespoons water, mix on low until moistened, then beat on high for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. Adjust water to achieve soft-serve ice cream consistency. Reserve 1 cup and cover tightly.
- Prepare Royal Icing – Flood: Add additional water 1-2 teaspoons at a time to the remaining icing until it is fluid enough to flood cookies but still holds shape for about 10 seconds before melting back. Divide into bowls and tint with gel colors. Cover bowls when not in use to prevent drying.
- Prepare Royal Icing – Outline: Tint the reserved thicker icing with desired colors to pipe outlines around cookie edges. Cover until ready to use.
- Decorate Cookies: Pipe the thicker icing outlines onto cooled cookies, then flood the centers with thin icing and add details while wet. Allow icing to dry completely before storing.
Notes
- Store baked and decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks to keep them fresh.
- Once royal icing is fully set, cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to six months. Thaw at room temperature in a single layer for about 2 hours before serving.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant icing colors without altering consistency.
- Let dough scraps rest for 5 minutes before rerolling to make handling easier and prevent toughness.
- To avoid cracking, do not overbake cookies; they should remain very light in color.
