Spring Easter Cookies (Print)
Light, buttery sugar cookies with festive pastel icing for spring celebrations.
# What You Need:
→ 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
→ Royal Icing
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 3–4 tablespoons water
12 - Pastel gel food coloring (pink, yellow, green, purple)
13 - Easter-themed sprinkles
# How To Make It:
01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, form into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into Easter shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 9–11 minutes until edges just begin to brown. Cool completely on wire rack.
09 - Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in medium bowl. Mix until smooth and glossy, adjusting water for desired consistency.
10 - Divide icing into small bowls and tint with food coloring. Decorate cooled cookies with colored icing and sprinkles. Allow icing to set completely before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dough is incredibly forgiving and comes together in minutes
- These cookies stay soft for days unlike some cutout recipes that turn rock hard
- The almond extract creates thatbakery shop flavor everyone swears must be complicated
02 -
- Warm dough is the enemy of cutout cookies. If your dough starts getting too soft while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for fifteen minutes.
- Royal icing dries quickly. Keep unused bowls covered with a damp paper towel to prevent a crust from forming on the surface.
03 -
- If you do not have Easter cookie cutters, use a round glass for simple egg shapes or freehand bunny ears with a knife
- Lemon or orange extract instead of almond gives these cookies a bright spring flavor that pairs beautifully with fruit shaped decorations