Description
Create magical Winter Wonderland Cookies with this easy recipe. These soft sugar cookies are decorated with snowy royal icing, shimmer, and cool tones, perfect for holiday parties and winter birthdays.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Sugar Cookies:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- FOR THE ROYAL ICING:
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5–6 tablespoons water (plus more for thinning)
- Food coloring in winter shades (blue, white, silver, etc.)
Instructions
- MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until dough forms.
- Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- ROLL AND CUT THE COOKIES: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out winter-themed shapes.
- Transfer cookies to baking sheets and freeze for 5–10 minutes.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
- MAKE THE ROYAL ICING: Combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder in a mixer bowl. Add 5 tablespoons of water and beat on medium speed for 7–10 minutes until stiff peaks form. Adjust consistency with water as needed.
- Divide icing into bowls and tint with desired food coloring.
- DECORATE: Outline each cookie with thick icing. Flood centers with thinner icing, spreading evenly with a toothpick.
- Allow the base layer to dry for several hours before adding additional details. Add sanding sugar or edible glitter for sparkle.
Notes
- For best results, let decorated cookies dry uncovered overnight before stacking or packaging.
- Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Undecorated cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Decorate after thawing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking and Decorating
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 74
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 42mg
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 9mg