Easter Sugar Cookies
Last Updated on January 29, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
Enjoy all the flavors of Spring with these easy-to-make Easter Sugar Cookies. Soft, tender cookies with delicious royal icing are perfect for Easter baskets or sharing with friends.
Table of Contents
Easter is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with some sweet sugar cookies? This Easter sugar cookie recipe is perfect for adding to baskets or using as prizes on Easter egg hunts, too.
Easter sugar cookies are a beloved treat for many reasons. Not only are they delicious and sweet, but they are also a symbol of the Easter season. These cookies are often shaped like Easter eggs, bunnies, and other seasonal items, making them a festive addition to any Easter celebration. They can be enjoyed as frosted cookies, or unfrosted cookies, dipped in a bit of sugar if you’d like.
One of the great things about Easter cookies is their simplicity. The base recipe for sugar cookies is fairly straightforward, with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, and flour. This makes them accessible for even novice bakers. However, there is still plenty of room for creativity and customization when it comes to shaping and decorating the cookies. With just a few additional ingredients and some food coloring, the possibilities for designs are endless.
This easy Easter sugar cookie recipe is also fun to do with your kids. Have a great time cutting out the cookies, and decorating them. However they are decorated, you are sure to enjoy tasty and adorable Easter sugar cookies.
Easter Sugar Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions:
Flour – All-purpose flour is great for these sugar cookies, but you could use gluten-free flour instead, such as Bob’s Red Mill, which is a 1:1 substitution.
Baking powder – Check the expiry date to ensure the cookies don’t turn out flat.
Salt – Omit if using salted butter.
Softened butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter for baking sweet treats, but salted can be used instead. You will need to omit the salt in this recipe when using salted butter.
Sugar – Granulated sugar is best for sugar cookies. Light brown sugar can be used in a pinch.
Egg – bring to room temperature for easy mixing into the dough.
Almond extract – This can be left out if you don’t enjoy the subtle flavor of almond. I think it adds to the richness of the cookie flavor.
Powdered sugar – Used for rolling the dough. You could use flour instead.
Frosting – Use store-bought royal or buttercream icing to frost the cookies.
How To Make Easter Sugar Cookies
- Preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then set aside.
- Using either a hand electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar over medium speed until light and creamy.
- Add in egg, and extracts, and mix well.
- Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the creamed butter and sugar. The dough will be crumbly.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface or powdered sugar surface. Roll dough with a rolling pin to 1/4″ thickness.
- Using an egg-shaped cookie cutter, or another of your favorite cookie cutters, cut the Easter egg sugar cookies into different shapes.
- Bake cookies on a prepared cookie sheet until just done. Do not brown the cookies.
- Remove from the oven, and place cut-out cookies on a cooling rack.
- Frost cooled cookies with royal or buttercream icing.
Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll need a baking sheet, large mixing bowl, an electric hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, measuring cups, measuring spoons, Easter-themed cookie cutters, piping bag for icing (optional), wire rack, and a rolling pin.
Serve
Enjoy these Easter sugar cookies alongside a holiday platter with other Easter-inspired treats, such as Easter Mini Bundt Cakes and Carrot Cake Cookies! You can also gift these adorable Easter sugar cookies to friends and family over the holiday by placing them in clear bags or boxes with decorative ribbon.
How To Store Easter Sugar Cookies
Store these delicious cookies in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend storing these cookies in the fridge as the condensation can make them soft.
Recipe FAQ’s:
What is the best sugar for cookies?
Granulated sugar is the best sugar for cookies, especially sugar cookies. The granulated sugar produces a crispier, slightly flatter cookie which is necessary for icing and decorating.
How to decorate cookies for Easter?
Use Easter-inspired cookie cutters in the shape of eggs, carrots, and bunnies to create a fun Easter theme. Decorate the shaped cookies with royal icing or buttercream icing, using a piping bag with different piping tips to achieve the types of patterns you’d like to create.
Can I decorate my Easter cookies without icing?
Absolutely! You can add colorful sanding sugar to the tops of your sugar cookies just before they are baked. The heat from the oven will melt the sanding sugar onto the cookies for a pretty effect.
Can I make Easter sugar cookies ahead of time?
Yes, you can. You can either make the sugar cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer, ready to be pulled out to shape and bake, or you can make bake the cookies a day or two in advance and store these in an airtight container at room temperature, ready to be decorated before served for freshness.
Do I need to chill the cookie dough for these sugar cookies?
No. Unlike other types of cookies, sugar cookies don’t need to be fluffy and pillowy. In fact, it’s better that they are flatter to make the icing decoration easier. You would only need to chill the cookie dough if you live in very hot and humid conditions or if you are storing the cookie dough to make the cookies in a day or two.
Other Easter Ideas You’ll Love
- Easter Mini Bundt Cake Recipe
- Marbled Easter Eggs
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Easy Deviled Eggs Recipe
- Shaving Cream Easter Eggs
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious recipe for Easter sugar cookies! If you try it, please come back and leave me a comment letting me know how you liked it. And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I love hearing from you!
Easter Sugar Cookies Recipe:
Easter Sugar Cookies
Enjoy all the flavors of Spring with these easy-to-make Easter Sugar Cookies. Soft, tender cookies with delicious royal icing are perfect for Easter baskets or sharing with friends.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (2 sticks) cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar or flour, for rolling
For Decorating
- Royal icing
- Edible flowers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with
parchment paper. - Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set
aside. - In a mixing bowl, blend the butter and sugar until creamy and light.
Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Slowly add
dry ingredients and mix until combined. Dough will be a little
crumbly. - Turn out the dough onto a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar or
flour. Press into a ball and then roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Use
a cross-shaped cookie cutter to cut each cookie. Carefully lift
shaped cookies to the baking sheet. Using a flat spatula is
recommended to help the cookies maintain their shape. - Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Do not brown the cookies. Allow
cookies to cool for at least 20 minutes on the baking sheet before
carefully removing to a cooling rack. - After cooling, decorate with royal icing. While the icing is still
wet, and press the decorations into the cookies. - Allow icing to dry before storing in an airtight container between
layers of parchment paper.
Notes
Royal Icing Hack
Transform store-bought frosting into royal icing by removing the lid and aluminum seal. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds (thicker royal icing) to 1 minute (thinner royal icing for flooding.) Stir well.
Transfer to a piping bag and use as desired. Allow the icing to dry completely before stacking. Using parchment or waxed paper between each layer is recommended.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 412Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 304mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 1gSugar: 29gProtein: 5g
