Baby in Bloom Sugar Cookies (Printable View)

Buttery sugar cookies decorated with pastel icing flowers, perfect for spring and celebrations.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

08 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 large egg whites or 1/4 cup liquid pasteurized egg whites
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
11 - Pastel food coloring (pink, yellow, lavender, green)

# How to Make:

01 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
05 - Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using flower or round cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies on prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
10 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and extract, beating until stiff peaks form and icing is glossy.
11 - Divide icing into separate bowls and add desired pastel food coloring to each. Adjust consistency by adding drops of water for flooding or extra powdered sugar for piping.
12 - Using piping bags fitted with small round or petal tips, pipe flower designs and leaf details onto cooled cookies. Allow icing to dry completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttery dough is forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to make you feel like a pastry chef.
  • Royal icing flowers dry to a glossy finish that transforms simple cookies into show-stopping centerpieces.
  • You can prepare everything in stages, fitting this perfectly into a busy schedule without last-minute stress.
02 -
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable; cold butter won't cream properly and warm butter creates greasy cookies.
  • Let cookies cool completely before icing them, or the icing will melt and slide off like springtime snow.
03 -
  • Keep your piping bag fitted with the tip and filled with icing; let it sit at room temperature so the icing flows smoothly without thinning from warm hands.
  • If your icing becomes too thick while decorating, add water one tiny drop at a time—too much transforms it from usable to soupy in seconds.
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