Description
These festive Easter Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and perfect for celebrating spring. Rolled out and cut into charming egg, bunny, and flower shapes, these cookies are topped with smooth, glossy icing in pastel colors and decorated with jelly beans, shredded coconut, and edible markers for a fun and delightful treat that’s perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 5 teaspoons milk (plus more if needed)
- 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Food coloring (pink, yellow, and white)
Decorations
- Pink jellybeans (for bunny ears)
- Shredded coconut (for bunny tails)
- Black edible marker (for bunny eyes)
- Jellybeans to create flower shapes
- Half green or yellow jellybean (for flower center)
- Twizzler candy cut to 1/2 inch pieces for flower stems
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This step ensures a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and the batter becomes light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Flour Mixture: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal halves. Flatten each half into a 4-inch disc, cover each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Chilling helps the dough firm up for easier rolling and cutting.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and assist with even baking.
- Roll Out Dough and Cut Shapes: Lightly flour your countertop and one disc of chilled dough. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 3-4 inch egg-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat the process with the second disc.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned around the edges, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
- Prepare the Icing: In a bowl, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in light corn syrup and almond extract until the icing becomes smooth and glossy. If the consistency is too thick, add a little more milk to reach desired spreading consistency. Divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring to create pink, yellow, and white icing.
- Decorate Bunny Cookies: Spread white icing evenly on bunny-shaped cookies and let dry for about 10 minutes. Attach two pink jellybeans at the top as ears. Apply a dollop of white icing at the back end of the bunny cookie and top with shredded coconut to form the tail. Using the edible black marker, draw two eyes in front of the bunny ears.
- Decorate Flower Cookies: Spread desired colored icing (pink or yellow) on flower-shaped cookies. Arrange 5 to 6 jellybeans in a circular flower pattern on top of the icing. Place half of a green or yellow jellybean in the center as the flower’s core. Use 1/2 inch pieces of Twizzler candy to create the flower stem by pressing them gently onto the icing.
Notes
- For best results, chill dough overnight to enhance flavor and firmness.
- Ensure cookies are completely cool before icing to prevent melting and runny decorations.
- Use light corn syrup in icing for a glossy finish and smooth texture.
- Substitute almond extract with vanilla if preferred or for nut allergies.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Edible black markers are available at craft or specialty baking stores for fine decoration.
