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Perfect Star-Shaped Sugar Cookies Recipe Easy Homemade Holiday Treats

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These star-shaped sugar cookies with royal icing are an easy, festive treat perfect for holiday gatherings. They feature a tender crumb, buttery flavor, and smooth royal icing that dries hard for stacking or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 2–4 tablespoons (30–60 ml) water
  • Food coloring (gel or paste)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Beat in the large room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
  5. Form the dough into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of chilled dough to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness. Use star-shaped cookie cutters to cut shapes and transfer to prepared sheets.
  8. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until edges are lightly golden but centers remain pale.
  9. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely before decorating.
  10. Prepare royal icing by beating powdered sugar with pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder, lemon juice, and water until smooth. Adjust water to achieve thick but pipeable consistency.
  11. Divide icing into small bowls and tint with gel or paste food coloring as desired. Use piping bags or squeeze bottles to decorate cookies, smoothing with toothpicks if needed.
  12. Let decorated cookies sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight until icing is fully hardened.

Notes

Chill dough for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading. Avoid overmixing dough to keep cookies tender. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Let royal icing dry fully before stacking or storing. If dough softens while rolling, chill again for 10 minutes. Practice piping on parchment paper before decorating cookies.

Nutrition

Keywords: star-shaped sugar cookies, holiday cookies, royal icing, easy sugar cookies, festive treats, homemade cookies, holiday baking

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/perfect-star-shaped-sugar-cookies-recipe-easy-homemade-holiday-treats/