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Perfect Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Royal Icing Tutorial

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Soft, tender sugar cookies with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, topped with smooth, sweet royal icing. Perfect for holiday celebrations and easy to decorate.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder mixed with water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vanilla extract
  • Food coloring gels (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
  2. Cream butter and sugar: beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add egg and vanilla: beat in egg and vanilla extract until fully combined and glossy.
  4. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk: gradually add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour; mix on low speed just until combined.
  5. Chill the dough: cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll and cut: lightly flour surface and rolling pin; roll dough to ¼-inch thickness; cut shapes with cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
  8. Bake: 8-10 minutes until edges start to turn golden but centers remain soft.
  9. Cool: let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  10. Make royal icing: whisk powdered sugar, egg whites (or meringue powder mix), and lemon juice or vanilla extract until smooth and glossy; adjust consistency with water if needed.
  11. Decorate: transfer icing to piping bags; outline and fill cookies; allow icing to dry completely, preferably overnight.

Notes

Chill dough for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading and keep cookies soft. Use gel food coloring for royal icing to maintain consistency. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow royal icing to dry overnight before stacking.

Nutrition

Keywords: Christmas cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, holiday baking, soft cookies, festive cookies, easy cookie recipe

Find it online: https://lucydishes.com/perfect-soft-christmas-sugar-cookies-recipe-with-easy-royal-icing-tutorial/