Description
Soft sugar cookies with easy royal icing and bright candy lights. Fun for kids, simple to decorate, and perfect for gifting during the holidays.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
3/4 cup flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the Royal Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg white or 2 tablespoons beaten
For Decorating
1 small tube of black writing icing
Handful of mini M&Ms
Instructions
1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract, then mix well.
4. Gradually add dry mixture and stir just until combined without overmixing.
5. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thick disk on a floured surface and cut 3–4 inch rounds.
6. Place cookies on a parchment-lined sheet and freeze briefly while preheating oven to 350°F.
7. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden, then cool on a wire rack.
8. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons beaten egg white until smooth.
9. Spoon icing on cookies, let it harden, pipe two black lines, and press mini M&Ms sideways to resemble Christmas lights.
Notes
Recipe is ideal for baking with kids, no piping bags needed.
Best to frost and decorate cookies only when completely cool.
Black writing icing in a tube is easier than melted chocolate for string design.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Christmas Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 23
- Sodium: 48
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 42