Pure Vanilla Sugar Cookies (Printable)

Classic vanilla sugar cookies with glossy royal icing, ideal for festive gatherings and themed events.

# What you need:

→ Sugar Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon milk

→ Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 4 to 5 tablespoons warm water
12 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - Gel food coloring in blue, yellow, and white for decoration (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together.
05 - Divide the dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap 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 surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons warm water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and glossy, adding more water 1 teaspoon at a time for desired consistency.
11 - Divide icing into separate bowls and tint with gel food coloring as desired.
12 - Decorate fully cooled cookies with royal icing using piping bags or squeeze bottles. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The royal icing hardens completely, so you can stack and gift these without worrying about smudging or melting.
  • Vanilla extract and just enough milk create a tender crumb that doesn't taste overly sweet, letting the decoration shine.
02 -
  • Never ice warm cookies—the heat melts the icing and creates a sad, runny mess instead of that satisfying hard shell.
  • Meringue powder is your friend if you're nervous about raw eggs; it stabilizes icing without any food safety concerns, and it dries much harder than icing made with just sugar and water.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar for the icing even if it feels tedious—unsifted powdered sugar hides little clumps that create uneven texture and rough piping lines.
  • Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper to avoid constant flouring, which dries out the dough and makes it crack at the edges.
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