Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
These cut-out sugar cookies bring a classic cookie-shop look to a cozy baking project. The cookies bake up tender with lightly golden edges, and smooth white royal icing gives each star and round a clean, polished finish.
The dough is soft and easy to shape when chilled, while the icing has two consistencies to help you outline and fill each cookie. A little care with both makes decorating more manageable, even if you are new to royal icing.
What gives these cookies their tender texture
All-purpose flour gives the cookies enough structure to hold their cut-out shapes, and baking powder adds a little lift. Fine salt balances the sweetness. For the softest result, mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture only until a soft dough forms. Mixing beyond that point can make the dough tougher to roll and the finished cookies less tender.
Softened unsalted butter blends smoothly with granulated sugar, helping create a creamy base before the egg and vanilla bean powder go in. The egg brings the dough together, and vanilla bean powder gives it a warm vanilla flavor. Keep the flour nearby for the rolling surface, but use it lightly; too much can leave the cookies dry.
Chill and roll for neat cut-outs
Shaping the dough into disks before chilling makes it easier to roll evenly later. Cold dough is firmer and less likely to stick or lose its shape as you cut stars and rounds. If a disk feels difficult to roll, let it sit briefly until it becomes workable, while keeping the dough cool enough to handle.
Aim for an even thickness across each rolled disk so the cookies bake at a similar rate. Gather and reroll scraps as needed, taking care not to work the dough more than necessary. Leave space between the cut-outs on the baking sheets so the edges have room to bake cleanly.
Watch for set edges and lightly golden bottoms as signs that the cookies are baked. Switching the sheets’ rack positions and turning them front to back partway through helps them bake more evenly. Let the cookies cool completely before icing; warm cookies can make the icing harder to control.
Use two icing consistencies
Powdered sugar and meringue powder make a smooth royal icing that can be piped and spread. Beat the mixture until it forms stiff peaks, then reserve some for the outlines. Thin the rest gradually with warm water until a drizzled ribbon settles back into the icing. Adding water slowly gives you more control over the texture.
The thicker icing creates a boundary that helps keep the thinner icing inside each cookie. Pipe an outline, fill the center, and use a toothpick to nudge icing into any gaps near the edges. Work one cookie at a time so the filling is easy to guide before it begins to set.
Royal icing can dry in the bowl while you decorate. Keep the unused portion covered with a damp towel, and return to it as needed. Once the icing is on the cookies, let them stand at room temperature until the surface is set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the dough need to chill?
Chilling firms the soft dough, making it easier to roll and cut into stars and rounds. It also helps the shapes stay neater as you transfer them to the baking sheets. If the dough becomes difficult to roll, give it a short time to soften slightly.
How do I know when the cookies are baked?
Look for edges that appear set and bottoms that are lightly golden. The cookies should cool on the sheets before moving to a rack, then cool completely before you decorate. Icing warm cookies can make outlining and filling harder to manage.
How do I keep royal icing from drying out while decorating?
Cover the unused icing in the bowl with a damp towel while you work. This keeps the portion you have not piped from drying out too soon. Keep the outline icing thicker and thin the filling icing gradually so both are easier to handle.
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
cookies50
minutes10
minutes250
kcal3
hours20
minutesTender, lightly golden sugar cookies are cut into stars and rounds, then decorated with smooth white royal icing. The recipe makes 24 cookies.
Ingredients
- Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
- Royal icing
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp meringue powder
6 tbsp warm water, plus up to 2 tbsp for thinning
Directions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla bean powder. Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into stars and rounds, rerolling scraps as needed. Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake both sheets together for 10 minutes, switching their rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through. The edges should look set and the bottoms should be lightly golden. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- While the cookies cool, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 6 tablespoons warm water in a clean bowl. Beat on low until combined, then on medium-high for 5 to 7 minutes, until the icing forms stiff peaks.
- Set aside about one-third of the icing for outlines. Thin the remaining icing with additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a ribbon drizzled on the surface disappears in about 10 to 15 seconds.
- Pipe an outline around each cookie with the thicker icing, then fill the centers with the thinner icing. Use a toothpick to guide the icing into the edges. Let the cookies stand at room temperature for 1 hour, until the icing is set.
Notes
- Keep unused royal icing covered with a damp towel while decorating so it does not dry out in the bowl.
