Easter Sugar Cookies
colorful eggs & bunny paws
THE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
- For cookies:
- 8 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Cups Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- For decoration:
- 2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Meringue Powder
- Food coloring
- From your pantry:
- 1 Egg
- Provided:
- Parchment paper (2)
- Cookie Cutter
- Piping bags (4)
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Great for kids, these treats won’t last long in an Easter basket. Follow our decorating diagram to craft picture-perfect confections, piped with pastel icing. PLUS, this baking kit includes an egg-shaped cookie cutter for easy baking!
BAKING HACKS:
Back in the day all recipes were done by hand, so it’s fine if you don’t have an electric mixer. (We’re big fans of whisks.) It will take a bit more time, but you get a nice arm workout!
Not sure how tall 1/8 inch thickness is? It’s about the height of two quarters stacked. Your cookie thickness should be just a tiny bit higher than the quarters.
BAKING ADVICE:
Use royal icing immediately or it will harden. As you transfer the icing to a piping bag, cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
Confectioner's sugar is used to "flour" your surface in this recipe! That's because sugar cookies bake best without added flour, or gluten, when being rolled and shaped.
Cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks; cover with foil or place in an air-tight container.
YOUR INGREDIENTS
STEP 1
Wow, you’ve got some beautiful ingredients! Once you’ve unpacked your Red Velvet kit, take out 1 egg from your refrigerator. Let butter come to room temperature. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and half of the vanilla extract (save the rest for step 4). Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until combined.
STEP 2
Divide dough in half and pat to flatten into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes. (Or, place in fridge overnight.) Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper provided. Remove one disk from freezer or fridge, then the second when ready. Dust a work surface with confectioner’s sugar provided for surface prep. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using the cookie cutter, stamp out 30 cookies.
STEP 3
To make a bunny paw shape from an egg shape, use a fork to make a small indentation about 1/2 inch from each edge. Using a metal spatula or your hands, carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Repeat until scraps are used up. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until slightly golden, 14 to 18 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
STEP 4
Make the royal icing. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the confectioner's sugar and meringue powder. Add 3 tablespoons of lukewarm water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The icing will start out thick and lumpy. Slowly add 1 more tablespoon of water (you may not need all of it) until the icing resembles thick honey. Continue to whisk until fluffy. Divide into 3 small bowls, leaving some white icing in your mixing bowl (for 4 colors total). Add pink, yellow, and blue food coloring drop by drop, mixing thoroughly with a small spoon until you get a consistent pastel color.
STEP 5
Using a spatula, fill each piping bag with royal icing. To fill each bag, fold over the top to form a cuff, scoop in frosting, then unfold and twist to push frosting down, releasing any air bubbles. Twist and seal the top of the bag. When you’re ready to pipe, cut a tiny corner off the piping bag. This will be about 1/4 inch from the tip. (Start very small with a test.)
STEP 6
Decorate cookies! Use royal icing to pipe icing patterns on cookies and create Easter eggs or bunny paws. For best results, start by outlining your design, then filling it in. Follow our decorating diagram and don't forget to enter the #eggcellentcookie contest! Allow to dry for a few hours, then enjoy.
