Baby in Bloom Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery sugar cookies decorated with soft pastel icing flowers for special occasions and springtime.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 Steps:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough comes together without overmixing.
05 - Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
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 shapes using flower or round cookie cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies on prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart to allow for even baking.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
10 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until stiff peaks form and icing is glossy.
11 - Divide icing into separate bowls and tint with desired pastel food colors. Adjust consistency by adding water drops for flooding or extra powdered sugar for piping details.
12 - Using piping bags fitted with small round or petal tips, pipe delicate flower designs and leaf details onto completely cooled cookies. Allow icing to set and dry fully before serving or packaging.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like classic butter cookies but look like you spent all day at a fancy bakery.
  • The royal icing dries completely hard, so you can stack and package them without smudging.
  • Pastel colors photograph beautifully, making them perfect for celebrations that deserve documentation.
  • Once you nail the technique, you'll want to make them for every spring event.
02 -
  • Room temperature butter and egg make all the difference—cold ingredients won't incorporate properly and you'll lose that signature tender crumb.
  • Sifting powdered sugar before mixing your icing prevents lumps that clog piping bags and ruin the flow of your work.
  • Gel food coloring gives you pastel shades without thinning your icing like liquid colors do; this is the secret to beautiful piping.
  • Your cooling rack is sacred—cookies cooling on a plate will steam and get soft on the bottom, but air underneath keeps them crisp.
03 -
  • If your icing gets too thick while you're decorating, add water literally one drop at a time—too much and you've started over.
  • Keep a damp paper towel nearby while piping so you can wipe your tips clean between colors and prevent muddied pastels.
  • Pre-pipe icing flowers on parchment paper the day before, let them dry completely, then transfer them to cookies with a tiny dot of fresh icing; this takes pressure off your piping hand.
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