This past weekend I got some of my Easter baking done, including these sugar cookies and the mini cheesecakes I shared earlier this week. There’s a chance I will make some macarons just for fun but not making any promises at this point. I’ve shared my sugar cookie recipe before in a post that has been my most popular by a landslide here. The recipe is still the same and still the best in my opinion 😉
I used these cookie cutters here to make the bunnies and carrots.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350*. This recipe makes about 25-30 cookies using an average sized cookie cutter. I usually double the recipe since I’m already going through all the work to make them. They also freeze very well in an airtight container.
- To the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar mixing very well. Add the egg and vanilla, mix well. Next, add the dry ingredients (salt, baking powder and flour) and mix on low until combined. If the mixture seems too dry add a small amount of water, start with a teaspoon or so, it shouldn’t take much.
- On a lightly floured surface roll your dough and use the cookie cutters of your choice to shape. Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 8-10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Once they’ve fully cooled they are ready to be iced or at this point you could store them in the freezer to decorate at a later date.
Royal Icing
(you will want to double this as well if you doubled the cookie recipe above)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons meringue powder
6 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Directions:
- In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment add all ingredients and mix on lowest speed for 5-7 minutes. It is very important to keep the speed on the lowest setting to avoid whipping the meringue powder.
- I adjust the consistency as I go which usually results in adding more water to thin the icing. A little bit goes a long ways so start with a teaspoon or so.
- To get the right consistency for piping a good rule of thumb is to look for a 15 second icing. That means if you were to run a spoon through the icing it should take approximately 15 seconds to smooth back out completely. If your icing is still too thick add some water, just a little bit at a time. If your icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar.
Once you’ve reached your desired consistency transfer to a piping bag (a plastic baggie also works, just snip the corner when you’re ready to start decorating).
Good luck and happy baking!
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