Breakfast Baking
Sugar Cookie Cutouts with Royal Icing
Original recipe: 24 servings · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 270 min
By Beginnerbakes Editorial TeamPublished Apr 2, 2026 | Updated Oct 20, 2026
American
270 mins
Beginner-friendlyStep By StepPartyComfort Food
Bake sugar cookie cutouts, cool them completely, then decorate with meringue-powder royal icing. Allow additional time for cooling, decorating and icing drying.
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
270 min
Servings
24
Difficulty
easy
Cuisine
American
Ingredients
Servings
24
- 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- For Royal Icing
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 4 to 5 tablespoons warm water
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set dry ingredients aside.
-
In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), mixing until fully combined.
-
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until the dough comes together. If sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft but manageable.
-
Divide the dough into two portions. Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin.
-
Roll out one portion to about ¼ inch (6mm) thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut dough shapes, placing them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
-
Repeat rolling and cutting with the second portion. Gather scraps, roll gently, and cut additional cookies.
-
Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until edges start to turn golden but centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking to ensure softness.
-
Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
To make royal icing, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl.
-
Add 4 tablespoons warm water and mix on low speed with a hand mixer until smooth and glossy. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach desired consistency - thick for outlines, thinner for flooding.
-
Divide icing into small bowls and add food coloring if desired.
-
Use piping bags or zip-top bags with a small corner cut off to decorate cooled cookies. Allow icing to dry completely, 2 to 4 hours, before storing.
-
Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Before you start
The 270-minute planning estimate combines the existing 20-minute preparation allowance, one ten-minute oven batch and up to four hours of icing drying. It excludes complete cooling, decorating time and extra oven batches. Drying varies with icing thickness and conditions: do not stack cookies until the decoration is dry. Cool cookies completely before decorating. Meringue-powder formulas vary by brand; check the manufacturer directions before using the listed icing proportions. Do not treat this as a tested universal icing formula.
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