Baked Snowflake Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-03 · Updated 2026-08-03

Delicate sugar cookies shaped like snowflakes, baked to golden perfection and decorated with smooth royal icing for a festive treat. This recipe, ready in about 32 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, baking powder, unsalted butter into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 150 calories and feeds 24, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks), softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp meringue powder
• 5 tbsp water
• blue and white, as desired food coloring

The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp baking powder until combined.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1 large egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
3. Step 3: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
5. Step 5: Roll out one disc on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use snowflake-shaped cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
6. Step 6: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
7. Step 7: For royal icing, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbsp meringue powder, and 5 tbsp water in a bowl. Beat on high for 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
8. Step 8: Divide icing into bowls, tint some blue with food coloring, leaving some white. Use piping bags to decorate cookies with snowflake patterns. Let icing dry completely before serving.