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Perfect Decorated Teacher Apple Sugar Cookies Easy Royal Icing Recipe

decorated teacher apple sugar cookies - featured image
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These decorated apple-shaped sugar cookies with royal icing are a quick, easy, and thoughtful gift perfect for teachers, classroom parties, and gatherings. The buttery sugar cookie base pairs beautifully with smooth royal icing for a festive and delicious treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder + 6 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Gel food coloring in red, green, and brown
  • Water to thin the icing if needed
  • Optional: edible gold or white sprinkles
  • Optional: small leaf-shaped molds or piping tips

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with milk. Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  7. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness. Use apple-shaped cookie cutters to cut shapes and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until edges just begin to turn golden and centers remain pale. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  9. Prepare royal icing by beating powdered sugar with egg whites (or meringue powder mix) and lemon juice until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Divide and color portions with gel food colors.
  10. Fill piping bags with colored icing. Outline apple shapes in red, flood centers with thinner icing, use green for leaves and brown for stems. Let each color set slightly before adding the next.
  11. Allow iced cookies to dry completely at room temperature, ideally overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Sift powdered sugar before mixing royal icing to avoid lumps. Control icing consistency by thinning with water for flooding and keeping thick for outlining. Allow drying time between colors to prevent bleeding. Store cookies in a single layer with parchment paper between layers if stacking. Dough can be chilled up to 3 days before baking. Freeze unbaked dough for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple sugar cookies, teacher gift cookies, royal icing cookies, decorated sugar cookies, easy sugar cookies, holiday cookies, school party treats

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