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Perfect Decorated Graduation Sugar Cookies Gift Set

decorated graduation sugar cookies gift set - featured image
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A quick and easy recipe for tender, crisp sugar cookies decorated with royal icing, perfect for graduation gifts and celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5–6 tablespoons warm water
  • Gel food coloring in black, gold, white, and school colors
  • Edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. (5 minutes)
  2. Cream butter and sugar: beat softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (5 minutes)
  3. Add egg and extracts: beat in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth. (2 minutes)
  4. Combine dry and wet ingredients: gradually add flour mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. (3 minutes)
  5. Chill dough: flatten dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (60 minutes)
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. (5 minutes)
  7. Roll out dough: roll dough on lightly floured surface to ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness. (10 minutes)
  8. Cut shapes: use graduation-themed cookie cutters to stamp shapes, transfer to baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart. Chill dough if soft. (15 minutes)
  9. Bake cookies: bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are just golden. (8-10 minutes)
  10. Cool cookies: cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks until completely cool. (20 minutes)
  11. Prepare royal icing: combine powdered sugar and meringue powder, add warm water and beat until stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes. Adjust consistency as needed. (15 minutes)
  12. Color and decorate: divide icing, tint with gel colors, pipe outlines and flood cookies. Let each layer dry 15-20 minutes before adding details. Use toothpicks for fine adjustments. (1-2 hours)
  13. Dry and package: allow decorated cookies to dry thoroughly overnight before packaging. (Overnight)

Notes

Keep dough chilled to prevent spreading and maintain shape. Use gel food coloring to avoid thinning icing. Let each icing layer dry fully before adding details. Store cookies in airtight container with parchment layers; freeze undecorated cookies for longer storage. Practice piping on parchment before decorating cookies.

Nutrition

Keywords: graduation cookies, sugar cookies, decorated cookies, royal icing, homemade gifts, easy cookie recipe

Find it online: https://avabake.com/perfect-decorated-graduation-sugar-cookies-gift-set-easy-tutorial-for-homemade-gifts/