Easter Sugar Cookies Pastel (Printable)

Tender buttery sugar cookies decorated with colorful pastel icing for a festive spring touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

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 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon milk

→ Royal Icing

09 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 5 to 6 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
12 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades (pink, yellow, green, blue, purple)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the prepared dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. Add milk and mix until dough just comes together.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into Easter-themed shapes such as eggs, bunnies, and chicks.
08 - Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10 - In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add water, beating on low speed until smooth, then on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
11 - Divide icing among separate bowls and tint each with a different pastel gel food color to desired intensity.
12 - Transfer tinted icing to piping bags. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is surprisingly easy to work with and doesn't fight you when you're rolling and cutting shapes.
  • Pastel icing feels fancy but requires no special techniques—just patience and a steady hand with the piping bag.
  • You can bake the cookies days ahead and decorate them whenever the mood strikes.
02 -
  • Over-beating the icing will turn it grainy and dull instead of glossy—it should look smooth and satiny, not frothy.
  • Room temperature is everything for the butter and eggs; cold ingredients create lumpy dough that won't cream properly no matter how long you mix.
03 -
  • If you don't have meringue powder, you can substitute with pasteurized egg white powder in the same amount, but meringue powder is specifically designed for this and creates a more reliable finish.
  • Let your dough come to room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling if it's been refrigerated overnight—this makes it easier to work with and prevents cracking at the edges.
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