Easter Sugar Cookies with Honey Royal Icing
These Easter sugar cookies with honey royal icing are a springtime delight—soft, no-spread cookies topped with a matte, easy-to-pipe icing that’s perfect for decorating! The dough holds cute shapes like bunnies and eggs, and the honey swap makes icing a breeze. Great for beginners or family baking days, you can spread this over days for stress-free fun.
Servings 3 dozen
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 3 c. all-purpose flour 375g – weigh for accuracy
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 c. unsalted butter softened to room temp (226g)
- 1 c. granulated sugar 200g
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract – pure not imitation
- 1 tsp. almond extract – optional
For the Honey Royal Icing:
- 4 c. powdered sugar 480g
- 2 tbsp. meringue powder
- 5 tbsp. warm water – adjust as needed
- 2 tbsp. honey – or corn syrup for shine
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp. almond extract
- Gel food coloring – pastel shades
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat softened butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Crack in the egg, add vanilla and almond extract—that almond’s my secret weapon!—and beat until smooth. Gradually mix in dry ingredients on low until a soft dough forms—don’t overmix.
- Chill: Divide dough into 2 discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes—perfect time to tidy up and set your rolling station! If stiff later, knead it against the counter ‘til pliable.
- Roll & Cut: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment. On a Bethany House Pastry Board with its cloth (barely any flour needed!), roll one disc to ¼-inch thick—I eyeball it, but rolling pin rings work too (linked below). If dough sticks, scrape it off with a sharp knife. Cut out Easter shapes—bunnies and eggs are my faves (cutters linked below!)—and place 2 inches apart on trays. Rework scraps into the next disc, brushing off extra flour—keeps going ‘til every bit’s used!
- Bake: Bake 16-20 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Cool on trays 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Make Honey Royal Icing: In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid), mix powdered sugar and meringue powder. In a small bowl, stir together warm water, honey, vanilla, and almond extract—that extra almond kick’s my favorite! Combine with dry ingredients and beat on low for 1 minute, then medium-high for 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form—nice and tall!
- Thin Icing: Grab gloves—it gets messy! For one consistency (my go-to 20-23 seconds—soft piping and easy flooding), thin the whole batch in the bowl with ¼ tsp. water at a time—a spray bottle helps with tiny tweaks—‘til a line disappears in 20-23 seconds when you draw it with a knife. Scoop out what you need and add gel coloring (mine’s from Hobby Lobby). Or, scoop out bits for each color and thin separately. Swing icing into tipless bags, center the seam, snip a small tip, and tie off.
- Decorate: Outline cookies with 20-23-second icing—keep the tip just above the surface for a smooth line, tidying edges with a toothpick. Flood the inside, tap and shake to smooth it. Add more icing while wet for color blends, or wait at least 1 hour (I do overnight) for raised details—clip bags with a clothes pin and store at room temp ‘til then. For divots on a dry base, poke tiny holes with a toothpick where you’ll pipe—keeps moisture in (thanks, HOMEgirl Cookies—video linked below!). Let dry 6-12 hours.
Notes
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Dough Tips: Chill for 30 minutes—no more, no less—or it gets tricky to roll. Knead scraps back in—they stay tender even after multiple rerolls! If it sticks to your pastry board, scrape it off with a sharp knife.
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Rolling Trick: I eyeball ¼-inch thickness, but rolling pin rings (linked below) can help if you love precision—I just end up with wonky edges anyway!
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Icing Consistencies: ‘Second’ means how long a line takes to disappear when drawn with a knife—easy to test!
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Dipping (10-12 sec): Thin like honey—dip for a quick coat.
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Flooding (15-20 sec): Flows like syrup—fills outlines smoothly.
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Piping (25-30 sec): Thick like toothpaste—perfect for raised details over a dried base.
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My Fave (20-23 sec): Great for soft piping and easy flooding—no need for separate batches!
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Divot Fix: Spot craters in details? Pipe on a tacky base to skip ‘em, or poke tiny holes with a toothpick on a dry base to keep moisture in.
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Glove Up: Coloring gets messy—grab gloves to keep hands clean!
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Make Ahead: Freeze dough or un-iced cookies for 3 months—thaw dough overnight in the fridge.
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Icing Storage: Clip cut piping bags with a clothes pin for overnight details at room temp, or freeze up to 3 months—massage to blend settled color after thawing.
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Shine Option: Swap honey for corn syrup if you want glossy icing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie
