These Easter Egg Sugar Cookies are so pretty decorated with royal icing. They are yummy and sure to be the star of the dessert table.
These pastel Easter treats are the perfect Easter dessert to make for one of the Best Spring Desserts. It is the best cookie recipe. I have been making these for over 15 years and the kids love to help.
It is our annual tradition to also make Mini Easter Cheesecakes, White Chocolate Easter Bark and Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies. The kids also love to make White Chocolate Easter Bark and Bunny Butt Cupcakes. For another sugar cookie recipe, try Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Anyone can make these bakery quality cookies for Easter. We have easy step by step instructions that are so simple. Not only will everyone love how the cookies taste but they are gorgeous.
Ingredients
- Flour. All purpose flour. Measure carefully by spooning the flour into the measuring cup.
- Unsalted butter. Softened at room temperature
- Eggs. Room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract is best for these cookies.
Icing
- Egg whites. Discard the yolks or use them for something else.
- Powdered sugar. Sift before using so the icing is very smooth.
- Cream of tartar. Helps to stabilize egg whites and create the perfect texture.
- Gel Food Coloring. Choose an assortment of your favorite colors. I like to use pastel for the Easter eggs cookies.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the complete ingredients.
Variations and Substitutions
- Carrots. You can also make carrot shapes with the Easter Eggs. Just use a carrot cookie cutter and decorate.
- Meringue Powder. Substitute this instead of using raw egg whites if desired.
- Frosting. You can use Strawberry Buttercream Frosting as another tasty option on the cookies.
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2. Get out a large bowl. Cream together the 24 tablespoons of softened butter and the sugar until it is smooth and creamy. It should not be grainy to the touch. You can use the paddle attachment if you have a stand mixer.
Step 3. Add the eggs. Go ahead and add all 4 of the large eggs at one time. Mix everything together. Next, add vanilla extract. Combine so that everything is mixed well.
Step 4. Sift. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Sift these ingredients.
Step 5. Combine ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Keep mixing to make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well blended.
Step 6. Shape the sugar cookie dough into a ball. Once formed, wrap the dough in cling wrap so that it is completely covering the entire dough ball. Place the dough ball in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or overnight. Make sure to check to see if the dough is firm.
Step 7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow it to sit at room temperature to soften. Dust the cutting board with flour. Place the dough on the cutting board and use an egg-shaped cookie cutter to cut out Easter Egg shaped cookies.
Step 8. Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet using a metal spatula. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies should be lightly browned around the edges. Finally, place the batch of cookies on a cooling rack to cool completely. It should take about 10 minutes.
Step 9. Once cool, decorate the cookies with the icing according to your preference.
How to Make Icing
- Step 1. Get out a mixer to make the icing. You can use a stand mixer or hand-held mixer.
- Step 2. Mix together the ingredients for the icing. Combine everything but the food coloring. Use medium speed for 4 minutes.
- Step 3. Check the consistency. Reduce to low speed and gradually add ¼ cup powdered sugar if the icing is not stiff enough. Continue to add icing until it is a 15-second consistency. This means that when you slice a spatula across the top of the icing, it would take 15 seconds to disappear.
- Step 4. Get out 5 small bowls for the icing. Divide the icing into each of these bowls. Add the food gel coloring of your choice to each bowl and combine.
I used pastel colors: pink, yellow, purple, and blue. The last bowl is to decorate the cookies and I left that icing white for the sugar cookies for Easter.
How to Decorate Easter Egg Cookies
- Step 1. First, pipe the frosting. Put the pastel icing in piping bags. Outlining and flooding is the easiest method.
- Step 2. Next, let the icing cool. This will take about 2 to 3 hours to cool completely.
- Step 3. Then, finish decorating the cookies. Put the white icing in a piping bag fitted with tip #1 and use it to decorate the Easter egg cookies. We did zig-zag patterns, stripes, and polka dots. You can do any design you prefer.
- Step 4. Let the writing icing cool completely. This will take another 2 to 3 hours. The covers should be uncovered during this time.
Storage
Make sure the icing has cooled completely. Then store the sugar cookies with royal icing at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 to 7 days.
You can extend the storage time by placing int he freezer up to 2 months. Make sure to use a freezer safe container.
Expert Tips
- You need an Easter Egg cookie cutter. This will give the cookies the perfect shape.
- Piping bags make decorating easy. Make sure to have piping bags and tips on hand.
- Gel food coloring is best. It will not alter the consistency of the royal icing.
- You can substitute meringue powder instead of using egg whites.
- The cookies need to be completely cool before icing. Also, the icing needs to set and cool before adding the writing icing. It is important to allow each step the proper amount of time to set.
- Do not store the cookies until they have completely set. This takes a couple of hours. If you rush this step, you risk ruining the pretty design of the container.
- Try making Mini Egg cookies. Just use a smaller-sized cookie cutter.
- Adjust the icing consistency. If it is too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time.
More Easter Desserts
- Easter Cake Mix Cookies
- The best Easter Bunny Cookies Recipe
- Easter Chocolate Covered Oreos
- Easter Cookie Cake Recipe
- Birds Nest Cookies Recipe
- Italian Easter Cookies Recipe
Get started making Easter Sugar Cookies. Then leave a star rating and comment. I love hearing from you!
Easter Egg Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 5 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Icing Ingredients:
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Cream the soft butter with the sugar until the combination is smooth and not grainy to the touch in a mixing bowl.
- Add all 4 eggs at one time. Continue to mix.
- Then add in the vanilla extract. Continue mixing.
- Sift the four, baking powder, and salt together.Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Continue mixing to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling wrap completely covering the entire dough ball.
- Put the dough in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or overnight. Check to see if the dough is firm. Then pull the cookie dough out of the refrigerator and sit it out to soften up a bit.
- Put flour out on the wood cutting board, rub flour on the rolling pin, and work some flour into the batter (if needed). Roll the dough out on the cutting board and use an Easter egg cookie cutter to cut out Easter Egg shaped cookies.
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a metal spatula move the cut cookies to the parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Check to see if the cookies are thoroughly baked. Take the cookies off of the cookie sheet and put on a wire rack to cool completely.(About 10 minutes).
- ICING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl mixing on medium speed for 4 minutes. (except your food coloring). If icing is not stiff enough add ¼ C powder sugar until the icing is to a 15 second consistency. Which means that when you slice a spatula across the top of the icing, it would take 15 seconds to disappear.
- Separate the icing into 5 small bowls. Mix the icing with the food gel coloring of your choice. These are the colors I used for the cookies – pastel colors: pink, yellow, purple and blue and then the final bowl is to decorate the cookies and I left that icing white.
- Place the pastel icing in piping bags and place the pastel icing on the cookies. Let this icing cool completely (2-3 hours). Then place the white icing in a decorated bag fitted with tip #1 and use it to decorate the Easter egg cookies.
- Allow the writing icing to cool completely (2-3 hours). Do not cover the cookies while the icing is cooling. After the icing has cooled completely, store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.
