Servings: 24 coockies
Calories: 155kcal
Ingredients
- Sugar Cookie Dough
- 3 cups 375 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup 225 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Royal Icing
- 3¾ cups 450 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 6 –8 tbsp warm water add gradually to reach desired consistency
- ½ tsp vanilla extract optional
- Soft gel paste food colors: sky blue lavender, pink, yellow, white
- For Decorating
- Nonpareil sprinkles or pearl sprinkles for flower centers
- White flood icing for wet-on-wet polka dots
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough
- Beat softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla extract; mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture on low speed; mix until a smooth dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide dough into two discs; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Do not skip this step — chilled dough keeps flower shapes clean and sharp.
- Cut and Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness.
- Press flower-shaped cookie cutters firmly into the dough for clean cuts. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are just lightly golden. Centers should look set but pale.
- Cool on the baking sheet 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before decorating — never ice a warm cookie.
- Make the Royal Icing
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine meringue powder, cream of tartar, and 6 tbsp warm water. Beat on medium until foamy.
- Add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla; beat on high 5–7 minutes until glossy, stiff peaks form.
- Divide icing into bowls — one for each color plus a white bowl. Tint each with a tiny speck of gel paste color using a toothpick; stir until fully blended. Adjust color gradually — a little goes a very long way.
- Outline icing: Keep it thick (toothpaste consistency) — holds its shape when piped. Fill piping bags fitted with a size 1–2 round tip.
- Flood icing: Add warm water a few drops at a time to thin the icing until it flows and settles flat within 10–15 seconds (shampoo consistency). Fill squeeze bottles.
- Decorate the Cookies
- Pipe a clean border around each cookie using outline-consistency icing. Let sit 2–3 minutes to set.
- Fill the inside of the border with flood icing using a squeeze bottle. Use a toothpick to guide icing into edges and pop any air bubbles.
- Wet-on-wet polka dots: While the flood icing is still wet, pipe small dots of a contrasting color (or white) flood icing on top. Drag a toothpick through the center of each dot for a teardrop effect.
- Add nonpareil sprinkles or pearl centers immediately to the flower center while icing is wet so they adhere.
- Let cookies dry fully at room temperature — at least 6 hours, or overnight for best results — before stacking or packaging.
Notes
Cream of tartar in the icing stabilizes the egg whites and gives royal icing a smooth, professional finish that dries firm and non-shiny.
Gel paste colors give strong, vibrant results without thinning the icing — always add color with a toothpick, never pour directly.
Color deepens as icing dries — mix icing a few hours ahead; what looks light when wet will be brighter when dry.
Direct sunlight fades icing colors — always dry and store cookies away from windows and sunlight.
Wet-on-wet designs: Work quickly — both layers must be wet at the same time for the technique to work.
Uniform thickness is key: Roll all dough to the same ¼-inch thickness so every cookie bakes at the same speed.
Gifting tip: Once fully dry, place in clear cellophane bags tied with a pastel ribbon, or layer in a decorative tin with parchment paper between each layer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 72mg | Sugar: 18g
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