Description
Delightful dove-shaped sugar cookies decorated with beautiful royal icing, perfect for festive occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1⁄2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (500g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 6–8 tablespoons water
- Gel food coloring in white, pink, and light blue
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to the butter mixture, mixing until fully combined and smooth.
- Gradually sift in the flour and salt, mixing just until combined; dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface.
- Use a dove-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden, avoiding overbaking.
- Cool cookies on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare royal icing by mixing sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl, adding water gradually to achieve a thick consistency.
- Divide icing into bowls, adding gel food coloring to achieve desired shades.
- Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing, showcasing your creativity, and allow icing to dry completely before serving or storing.
Notes
For better flavor, add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract. Experiment with different cookie cutter shapes for versatility.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg