5 from 81 votes
Easy Royal Iced Sugar Cookies
Easy Royal Iced Sugar Cookies are buttery, tender sugar cookies shaped and decorated with a traditional royal icing made from powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water. The cookies bake to a pale finish without browning for a delicate texture suitable for intricate icing decoration. The stiff royal icing sets to a matte finish ideal for detailed designs, which can be thinned slightly for different decorating techniques.
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings:
48
cookies
Calories:
84 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
For the sugar cookies:
- 1 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
For the royal icing:
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Sanitize your working surface before preparing cookies.
Cup of Yum
To make the cookies:
- Cream the butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Mix until dough clumps around paddle attachment. Chill dough until firm. Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters and then place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies should not brown. Let cool then frost and decorate.
To make the frosting:
- Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed about 8 to 10 minutes, until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance. At this point, you will have the stiffest consistency of the icing that is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and mix until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. (If you are having any difficulty piping, it is still too thick. Add a little more liquid and try again.) Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing sealed in an airtight container at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.
- Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by adding a small amount of water at a time, and stir by hand until fully incorporated. The icing should drip off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. (You can use a squeeze bottle or plastic bag with a hole in the corner but I just like to use a spoon to flood the cookies.) If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set until completely dry.
Notes
- This recipe yields 2 to 4 dozen cookies depending on the cutout sizes.
- Gel food coloring works best for tinting royal icing without altering its texture.
- Store unused royal icing in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Sanitize preparation surfaces and wash hands thoroughly to maintain hygiene.
Nutrition Information
Serving
0g
Calories
84kcal
(4%)
Carbohydrates
12g
(4%)
Protein
0g
(0%)
Fat
3g
(5%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
13mg
(4%)
Sodium
83mg
(3%)
Potassium
2mg
(0%)
Sugar
12g
(24%)
Vitamin A
125IU
(3%)
Calcium
2mg
(0%)
Iron
0mg
(0%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 48 cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 84
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0g | |
| Calories | 84kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 0g | 0% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 83mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 2mg | 0% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 125IU | 3% |
| Calcium | 2mg | 0% |
| Iron | 0mg | 0% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.