Pure Vanilla Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft vanilla sugar cookies decorated with smooth royal icing, perfect for celebrations and special occasions.

# Ingredient List:

→ Sugar Cookie Dough

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon whole milk

→ Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 4 to 5 tablespoons warm water
12 - 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - Gel food coloring in blue, yellow, and white for optional decoration

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg, vanilla extract, and milk to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll out chilled dough to 0.25 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Transfer cut cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a large bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons warm water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and glossy. Add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time to achieve desired piping consistency.
11 - Divide royal icing into separate bowls and tint each portion with gel food coloring as desired, stirring until color is evenly distributed.
12 - Using piping bags or squeeze bottles, decorate fully cooled cookies with royal icing. Allow icing to set completely at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The royal icing hardens completely, so you can stack these without worry and even ship them to friends without disaster.
  • They're vanilla-forward but not boring—the meringue powder gives the icing a professional shimmer that feels genuinely fancy.
  • You get to theme them however you want, but the Pure Vanilla palette of blues and whites hits different.
02 -
  • Softened butter is different from melted butter, and using the wrong one will change your cookie's entire texture—soft means you can press your finger into it without it being liquid.
  • Royal icing needs meringue powder to set properly and stay glossy; without it, your icing will stay soft and tacky forever, no matter how long you wait.
03 -
  • If your icing is too thick to pipe, add water one teaspoon at a time; if it's too thin, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time—consistency is everything.
  • Keep a damp paper towel nearby while decorating to wipe piping bag tips clean between colors, preventing muddy color transitions on your cookies.
Go Back