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Homemade Vanilla Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing Decorations Recipe

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This recipe details how to make soft, buttery sugar cookies with a delicate cornstarch texture, topped with smooth, medium-consistency royal icing perfect for detailed decoration. The cookies are ideal for festive or themed occasions, especially Halloween, featuring a fun mummy-inspired icing design.

Ingredients

Cookies:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 small eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Royal Icing:

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 ¼ tablespoons warm water
  • 1 tablespoon meringue powder
  • ¼ teaspoon clear flavor extract (your favorite flavor)

Instructions

  1. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine softened butter and powdered sugar at medium speed until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
  2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the two small eggs and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt to ensure even distribution.
  4. Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients slowly at low speed, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed evenly.
  5. Chill the Dough: Roll out the dough into a ¼ inch thick sheet on parchment paper or an acrylic sheet, then refrigerate it for 30 minutes to firm up.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and set aside.
  7. Cut and Bake Cookies: Using cookie cutters, cut shapes from the chilled dough and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.
  8. Cool Completely: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack for at least one hour before decorating.
  9. Prepare Royal Icing: In a stand mixer, whisk powdered sugar, clear flavor extract, warm water, and meringue powder on medium-high speed until the icing is fluffy and forms peaks, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  10. Adjust Icing Consistency: If the icing is too thick, add warm water in small increments until reaching a medium consistency where icing takes about 15 seconds to settle, good for flooding and detailed piping.
  11. Transfer Icing to Piping Bag: Place the icing in a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the tip cut small to allow detailed decoration.
  12. Decorate Cookies: Outline each cookie with icing, then fill by making a spiral pattern inward, spreading the icing evenly with a toothpick or tool. Add decorative eyes, allow to set, then drizzle additional icing to create mummy wrapping effect without covering the eyes.

Notes

  • Use small eggs as called for for the right dough consistency.
  • Make sure cookies are completely cooled before decorating to prevent melting or sliding of the icing.
  • If royal icing becomes too stiff while decorating, add a few drops of water to loosen it.
  • Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
  • This recipe is ideal for intricate icing designs due to the medium consistency of the royal icing.

Find it online: https://simpleplatter.com/homemade-vanilla-sugar-cookies-with-royal-icing-decorations-recipe/