Sugar Cookies are basically my go-to cookie for any holiday. And one of my favourite holidays for making and decorating sugar cookies is Easter. The gorgeous pale tones, the intricate designs, the colourful variety. Easter egg sugar cookies are the definition of edible art.
And who says art has to be complicated? You certainly don't have to be Picasso to create a masterpiece. A few swirls here, a few polka dots there, and a few stripes is all you need to create adorable, simple easter egg sugar cookies.
If you are planning to make this, start baking these at least a day in advance. Why? Well, first, the cookies need to completely cool before you start icing them. Second, once you ice the first layer, you will need to set the cookies aside for about an hour to let the icing harden before you apply the second layer (white designs). Then, once you are all done making these cookies pretty, you will want to let the icing harden completely (preferably overnight) so that they do not smudge once when you are ready to store them or package them as gifts.
Easter Egg Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These cute, delicious and easy-to-make Easter egg sugar cookies are the perfect treat to indulge in this Easter!
Ingredients
For the sugar cookie:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the royal icing:
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- food colouring
Instructions
Make the sugar cookies:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour and mix until combined.
- Form dough into a ball and wrap dough tightly in plastic cling wrap and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour or overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from fridge and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick. Cut out shapes using egg-shaped cookie cutters.
- Transfer your cookies onto the cookie sheet, placing them 1 inch apart.
- Re-roll scraps and repeat.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Let it cool for 1 minute on the pan and then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the royal icing:
- In large bowl, combine the meringue powder with the confectioners' sugar
- Add the water and vanilla extract and beat with a mixer on medium-high until smooth. If you find that the icing is too thick, add more water. If too think, add more sugar.
- Add food coloring, if desired. Note that if you are adding liquid food colouring, this will have an effect on your consistency. You may need to add more sugar to thicken it out.
- Pipe the icing onto the cookies. Allow icing to harden for an hour before you apply the second layer (white designs).
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: easter egg sugar cookies, easter cookies, sugar cookies, easter sugar cookies, royal icing
For more tips and photos on how to outline and fill a sugar cookie, check out: christmas sugar cookies
Mey says
Hello, I’d love to make this. But just have a question, for the cookies, when you refer to “sugar” do you mean just the standard white table sugar? Or is it like caster (super fine) sugar? (We call it caster sugar here in Australia). Thanks, the cookies look fabulous and I can’t wait to make them! 😊
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Yes, regular white table sugar for the cookies. For the icing, you would use super fine sugar (caster sugar). Let me know how you like the cookies once you make them 🙂
Trish Benson says
Mey and Sam, Sorry, but caster sugar is NOT the same as confectioners sugar which is powdered sugar or 10x sugar. Caster sugar is known as baking sugar and is still a crystal albeit a smaller crystal than table sugar.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
You are totally right. It could possibly work in this recipe, but I cannot say for sure as I have not tested the recipe with it.
Farah says
Fantastic cookie recipe. I have made them twice already. For those who don't use the stick measurement for butter, I used 120 grams ( one webiste told me the conversion was 115 and another 125 so I just went in the middle.) Turned out perfect!
Thanks again!
★★★★★
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Amazing! So glad you liked the recipe!! And thanks so much for sharing the info about the butter 🙂
WoChaye says
These look so good and adorable! Just look at the color of these! Simply amazing.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks so much!
Lisa says
My four year old and I made these together for Easter this year and they turned out great! The dough seemed very crumbly and dry (may have had something to do with my daughter measuring the flour) but they cooked perfectly and were delicious! As a side note these just seem to get better with time! Day 1 they were yummy, day 3 they were so good and day 5 they are amazing! 🙂
★★★★★
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks for sharing! SO glad you guys loved the recipe and that your little girl could hep with the preparation 🙂
Michal Moore says
Love these!! I made some and put them in goose egg cartons from EggCartons.com. SO cute. I will try this recipe again since my last batch were a little dry. Thanks for sharing!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks Michal! The cookies must have been so cute in those cartons!! Great idea!