Easter Sugar Cookies Pastel (Printable)

Buttery sugar cookies topped with colorful pastel icing, ideal for springtime treats.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

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 whole milk

→ Royal Icing

09 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 5 to 6 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
12 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades (pink, yellow, green, blue, purple)

# Step-by-step Directions:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set mixture aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to butter mixture, mixing until well combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low speed. Add milk and mix until dough just comes together without overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into Easter-themed shapes such as eggs, bunnies, and chicks using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just turning golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10 - In a large mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add warm water gradually, beating on low speed until smooth, then on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
11 - Divide icing among separate bowls and tint each with a different pastel gel food color, mixing thoroughly.
12 - Transfer tinted icing to piping bags or squeeze bottles. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough stays perfectly tender and doesn't spread too thin, giving you clean, carvable edges that take icing beautifully.
  • Pastel royal icing feels fancy and celebratory without requiring any special decorating skills—even messy piping looks charming on Easter cookies.
  • You get to control the sweetness and flavor, so they taste genuinely buttery instead of like cardboard decorated with sugar.
02 -
  • Room-temperature butter and egg make an enormous difference—cold ingredients won't incorporate properly and your dough will be tough and difficult to work with.
  • Don't skip the chilling step; it's the secret to clean edges and cookies that hold their shape instead of spreading into oblong blobs.
  • Meringue powder is essential for royal icing that actually dries firm; without it, your icing stays tacky and cracks as it sets.
03 -
  • Make the dough a day or two ahead and keep it in the fridge—the flavors deepen and the cookies bake more evenly.
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid; it's more concentrated, keeps the icing the right consistency, and the pastels stay soft and lovely instead of turning muddy.
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