Easy Graduation Cap Cookies (Printable)

Crisp buttery cookies decorated with smooth royal icing and colorful accents for a festive touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Base

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 vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

08 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder plus 6 tablespoons water
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Black gel food coloring
12 - Yellow gel food coloring

→ Decoration

13 - Mini yellow M&Ms or candy pearls for tassels

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a cohesive dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
06 - Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
07 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut shapes using a graduation cap or square cookie cutter.
08 - Place cut cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
09 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating for approximately 5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir in vanilla extract.
10 - Divide icing into portions. Tint the majority black with gel coloring and reserve a smaller portion for yellow tinting. Adjust consistency by adding water by the teaspoon for flooding or additional sugar for piping.
11 - Using black royal icing and a piping bag, outline each cookie. Flood the interior with black icing, using a toothpick to guide toward edges. Allow 30 to 60 minutes for setting.
12 - Pipe yellow royal icing tassels and buttons onto each cap. Place a mini M&M or candy pearl at the tassel endpoint.
13 - Allow decorated cookies to dry completely for several hours or overnight before serving or packaging.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and doesn't require special equipment, so you can make these even if baking isn't your usual thing.
  • Decorating becomes meditative once you get the rhythm down, turning an hour of piping into surprisingly therapeutic time.
  • They photograph beautifully, which means your effort actually looks as impressive as it feels.
02 -
  • Gel food coloring needs just a toothpick dab—adding too much turns your icing gray or muddy, and water doesn't fix it.
  • The consistency of your royal icing makes or breaks the decorating experience, so test it on a scrap of parchment before committing to your cookies.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable for creaming—take it out an hour before mixing if you forgot to plan ahead.
  • A toothpick is your secret weapon for spreading icing smoothly and fixing little imperfections that no one notices but you'll see forever.
Go back