Frosted Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing Snowflake Decoration

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

Classic buttery sugar cookies topped with smooth royal icing shaped into delicate snowflakes, perfect for festive occasions or winter celebrations. This recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, layers unsalted butter, granulated sugar, large egg 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 120 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

• 1 cup (2 sticks), softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups (for royal icing) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp meringue powder
• 5 tbsp warm water
• 1/4 tsp blue food coloring gel

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

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar using a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Step 2: Beat in 1 large egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
3. Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Step 4: Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into snowflake shapes with cookie cutters and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
5. Step 5: Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are just golden. Let cool completely on wire racks.
6. Step 6: To prepare royal icing, beat together 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbsp meringue powder, and 5 tbsp warm water with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
7. Step 7: Add 1/4 tsp blue food coloring gel to the royal icing and mix until color is uniform. Fill a piping bag fitted with a fine tip with the icing.
8. Step 8: Decorate cooled cookies with snowflake patterns by piping icing carefully. Allow icing to set completely at room temperature, about 2 hours, before serving or packaging.