Easter Sugar Cookies
This recipe is based on our popular sugar cookies but makes a slightly smaller batch and I’m sharing my easiest 3-ingredient icing that sets beautifully on the cookies and is perfect for glazing cookies and decorating. Gather up your favorite Easter cookie cutters and pastel-colored sprinkles and have an Easter cookie decorating party!
Ingredients
Ingredients for Easter Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, (3/4 cup = 12 Tbsp) softened at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder, use aluminum free
- 1/4 tsp salt
Icing Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar, or added to desired consistency
- 3-4 Tbsp milk, or added to desired consistency
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring, optional to color the icing*
- Sprinkles, optional to decorate cookies
Instructions
How to Make the Sugar Cookies
- Preheat - set the oven to 350˚F with a rack in the upper and lower third of the oven if baking 2 sheets at a time, otherwise put a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- Wet ingredients - Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 3 minutes. To the mixture add the egg and vanilla and beat for another 1 minute to combine.
- Mix the batter - Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in 3 parts, mixing until fully incorporated. If the dough seems too sticky to roll, add 1 Tbsp flour at a time.
- Roll out the dough - Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. You can wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes or proceed with rolling the dough. On a generously floured surface, roll out the dough. Dust the dough with flour if the rolling pin is sticking. Roll the dough to 1/4” thick. Periodically scoot the dough around to check that the dough is not sticking to your work surface. If it is, dust with more flour and proceed.
- Cut and bake - Cut cookies out with an egg-shaped cookie cutter (mine was 2.5 x 3.75 x 1 inches) or your favorite Easter cookie cutter. Gather your scraps and re-roll to make more cookies. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet - I find it helps to use a food scraper to get under and lift the cookies from the surface without squishing them. Bake at 350˚F for 10-11 minutes or until the eggs are just beginning to turn golden. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before decorating with icing.
How to Make the Icing and Decorate Cookies
- Mix - In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the icing ingredients until smooth. To thicken the icing, add more powdered sugar and you can thin it out by adding more milk. Transfer to a piping bag or a zip-top bag and snip off the corner to create a hole for creating patterns on your sugar cookies. You can also use a squeeze bottle if you have one.
- Add color - To add color to your glaze, put some of the white icing into a small bowl and add a tiny dot of gel food coloring. To get the soft pastel colors, you can even just use some food coloring on the tip of a toothpick. A little goes a long way! If the colored icing gets too thin, you can add more powdered sugar.
- Decorate - Trace the cookies with icing then fill in as desired. If using sprinkles, add them right away while the icing is still wet so they cling to the icing.
Notes
*I prefer gel food coloring over liquid food coloring since it's less likely to water down and change the consistency of the glaze.
To Store Cookies: Allow the icing to fully dry out at room temperature for about 24 hours before covering and storing it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or freeze for longer storage.
To Store Cookies: Allow the icing to fully dry out at room temperature for about 24 hours before covering and storing it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition Facts
Easter Sugar Cookies
Amount per Serving
Calories
173
% Daily Value*
Fat
6
g
9
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2
g
Cholesterol
21
mg
7
%
Sodium
28
mg
1
%
Potassium
36
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
29
g
10
%
Fiber
0.3
g
1
%
Sugar
20
g
22
%
Protein
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
183
IU
4
%
Calcium
14
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
