Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- Royal icing: 4 cups (480 g) confectioners’ sugar, 3 tbsp (30 g) meringue powder, 6–9 tbsp water, 1 tsp clear vanilla
- Gel colors (sky blue, evergreen green, red), white sanding sugar, small sprinkles
Do This
- 1. Cream butter and sugar 2–3 min; beat in egg, yolk, vanilla, almond. Mix in dry ingredients; add milk to bring dough together.
- 2. Divide into 2 discs; chill 1 hour. Heat oven to 350°F (177°C); line sheets with parchment.
- 3. Roll to 1/4 inch between parchment; cut snowflakes, trees, ornaments. Freeze cutouts 10 minutes.
- 4. Bake 8–10 min until set but pale; cool 5 min on sheet, then racks.
- 5. Beat royal icing (sugar, meringue, 6 tbsp water, clear vanilla) to stiff peaks. Cover.
- 6. Tint portions blue/green/red. Thin some to 8–10-second flood; keep some at 12–15-second piping.
- 7. Outline, flood, then pipe details; add sanding sugar/sprinkles. Dry 8–12 hours.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cookie dough that bakes up tender with clean edges and no spread.
- Balanced vanilla–almond aroma that tastes like a bakery classic.
- Beginner-friendly royal icing method with clear consistency cues.
- Make-ahead friendly: dough, baked cookies, and icing all store well.
Grocery List
- Produce: Optional: 1 orange or lemon for zest (variation)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, 1 dozen eggs (you’ll use 1 egg + 1 yolk), whole milk
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, fine sea salt, vanilla extract (clear vanilla for icing if possible), almond extract, meringue powder, gel food colors (sky blue, evergreen/leaf green, red), white sanding sugar, small round sprinkles or sugar pearls
Full Ingredients
Vanilla–Almond Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50 g), room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (18 g), room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 tbsp whole milk, room temperature
Royal Icing
- 4 cups (480 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp (30 g) meringue powder
- 6–9 tbsp cool water, divided (start with 6 tbsp; thin as needed)
- 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
- Optional: 1/8 tsp almond extract (clear), for aroma
- Gel food coloring: sky blue, evergreen/leaf green, and red
Decorations (Optional but Lovely)
- 2–3 tbsp white sanding sugar
- 1–2 tbsp mini round sprinkles or sugar pearls
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the cookie dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy and slightly lightened, 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients in two additions on low speed just until combined. Drizzle in the milk and mix on low only until the dough clumps together. Do not overmix.
Step 2: Chill for clean cuts
Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten into 1-inch-thick discs, and wrap tightly. Chill for 1 hour (or up to 3 days). When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2–3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 3: Roll and cut shapes
Working with one disc at a time, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to 1/4 inch thickness. Dust very lightly with flour only if needed. Cut out snowflakes, trees, and ornaments (2.5–3 inches). Place cutouts on the prepared sheets, 1 inch apart. Gather scraps, press together once, re-roll, and cut again. Freeze the trays of cutouts for 10 minutes to minimize spreading.
Step 4: Bake and cool
Bake one sheet at a time for 8–10 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the tops look matte and the edges are set but still pale. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 45 minutes before icing.
Step 5: Make royal icing (stiff base)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, combine confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder. Add 6 tbsp cool water and clear vanilla. Beat on low to moisten, then on medium-high until glossy and at stiff peaks, 2–3 minutes. Avoid overbeating (which creates bubbles). Cover the bowl with a damp towel to prevent crusting.
Step 6: Tint and adjust consistencies
Divide icing into bowls. For outlining and details, thin portions with water a few drops at a time to a 12–15 second consistency (a ribbon of icing disappears in 12–15 seconds). For flooding, thin other portions to an 8–10 second consistency. Tint some icing sky blue, some evergreen green, and a little red; keep plenty of white for snowflakes. Transfer to piping bags fitted with small round tips (no. 1–2) for outlines and details; keep flood icing in piping bags or squeeze bottles.
Step 7: Decorate snowflakes, trees, and ornaments
Outline cookies with piping icing; immediately flood inside the outline with flood icing. Nudge with a scribe or toothpick to smooth. For ornaments, add wet-on-wet patterns (polka dots, lines) right after flooding. For snowflakes, let the flooded base dry 30–45 minutes, then pipe crisp white snowflake lines with slightly thicker icing; dust with sanding sugar while still wet for sparkle. For trees, flood green, then pipe garlands and tiny “lights” with contrasting colors. Add sprinkles or pearls sparingly.
Step 8: Dry completely and store
Let decorated cookies dry, uncovered, at cool room temperature until the icing is fully hardened, 8–12 hours or overnight. Once dry, stack between parchment in an airtight container.
Pro Tips
- Weigh your flour for accuracy; too much flour makes tough cookies.
- Roll dough between parchment for an even 1/4 inch and no extra flour.
- Freeze cutouts 10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading and preserve sharp edges.
- Use the “second-count” test for icing: 12–15 sec for outlining, 8–10 sec for flooding.
- Keep a damp paper towel over icing tips between uses to prevent crusting.
Variations
- Citrus-Almond: Add 1 tsp finely grated orange or lemon zest to the butter-sugar mixture; keep the almond extract.
- Warm Spice: Add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch (1/8 tsp) nutmeg to the flour mixture; skip the almond extract.
- Chocolate Cut-Outs: Replace 1/3 cup (35 g) of the flour with Dutch-process cocoa and increase milk to 1 1/2 tbsp.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Dough: Chill up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Baked, undecorated cookies: airtight at room temp for 5 days or freeze up to 2 months. Decorated cookies: once icing is fully dry, store airtight at room temp for 7–10 days. Royal icing: refrigerate in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed on the surface for up to 1 week; rewhisk and adjust consistency with water as needed.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate for 1 decorated cookie (of 30): 180 calories; 6 g fat; 29 g carbohydrates; 0.5 g fiber; 18 g sugars; 2 g protein; 65 mg sodium.
