Spring Easter Cookies (Printable)

Buttery sugar cookies decorated with colorful pastel icing for spring celebrations.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

→ Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 3-4 tablespoons water
12 - Food coloring: pastel pink, yellow, green, purple (gel preferred)
13 - Assorted Easter-themed sprinkles (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into Easter shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
09 - Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.
10 - Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth and glossy. Adjust consistency as needed.
11 - Divide icing into small bowls and tint with pastel food coloring.
12 - Decorate cooled cookies with colored icing and sprinkles. Allow icing to set completely before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving, so even if you overroll it slightly, these cookies still turn out tender and buttery
  • Kids can help with every step from mixing to decorating, making it perfect for creating holiday memories together
  • The royal icing dries hard enough to stack them for gifting, but stays soft underneath when you bite in
02 -
  • Warm dough spreads into blob shapes, so resist skipping that chilling step even when you are in a hurry
  • Royal icing consistency changes as it sits, so keep a tiny cup of water nearby to thin it as you work
03 -
  • Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper instead of on the counter to use less flour and prevent sticking
  • Use toothpicks to pull wet icing into corners and shapes instead of trying to pipe perfectly neat lines

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