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Perfect Apple Teacher Gift Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

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These charming apple-shaped sugar cookies hold their shape perfectly and are topped with smooth, vibrant royal icing that dries hard without cracking. Ideal for teacher gifts, classroom parties, or simple homemade treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder mixed with 6 tablespoons water
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Food coloring gels in red, green, and yellow
  • Optional: a few drops of lemon juice

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully combined.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  5. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll the dough out to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness on a lightly floured surface or silicone mat.
  8. Use apple-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes and transfer them to baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges start to turn golden. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  10. While cookies cool, whisk together powdered sugar, egg whites (or meringue powder mixture), and cream of tartar. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5–7 minutes. Add lemon juice if desired.
  11. Divide icing into bowls for different colors, add food coloring gels, and mix thoroughly.
  12. Transfer icing to piping bags and decorate cookies by outlining first, then flooding the center. Use toothpicks to smooth and detail.
  13. Let decorated cookies dry at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for best dough texture. Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading. Practice royal icing consistency for outlines and flooding. Let icing dry slowly at room temperature to avoid cracking. Use a toothpick to fix icing bubbles or edges. Do not stack cookies until fully dried. For safer royal icing, use pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder.

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, apple cookies, teacher gift, royal icing, homemade cookies, easy sugar cookies, cut-out cookies, holiday cookies

Find it online: https://blixfood.com/perfect-apple-teacher-gift-sugar-cookies-recipe-easy-homemade-royal-icing-tutorial/