Easter Sugar Cookies that yields tender, buttery cookies perfect for decorating with royal icing. Features bunny, egg, and chick shapes with pastel colors and springtime sprinkles. Optional lemon zest adds brightness. Great for Easter brunch, kid-friendly baking, or springtime celebrations.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Buttery and perfectly sweet with a tender melt-in-your-mouth texture. Decorated with pastel icing and festive sprinkles, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat. Perfect for Easter baskets, parties, or baking with family, these cookies bring cheerful springtime charm to every bite.
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Easter Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24–30 cookies
Description
These Easter Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and perfect for decorating! This easy recipe makes beautiful cut-out cookies with royal icing that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1–2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional, but adds brightness!)
For Decorating:
- 1–2 cups royal icing or vanilla glaze
- Pastel sanding sugar and sprinkles
- Food coloring (gel or liquid) in soft pastel colors
Simple Royal Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set this aside—you’ll add it later. This step ensures everything is evenly distributed so you don’t get pockets of baking powder in your dough.
In a large bowl (or your stand mixer), beat 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy—about 2–3 minutes. Don’t rush this! Proper creaming creates air pockets that make your cookies tender.
Add 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and your lemon zest (if using). Mix until everything is well combined and the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
Gradually add your dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Important: Don’t overmix! As soon as you don’t see dry flour anymore, stop.
Divide your dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. Yes, this step is mandatory! Chilled dough is easier to roll, cuts cleaner, and spreads way less in the oven.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use your favorite Easter cookie cutters to cut out shapes—bunnies, eggs, chicks, spring flowers. Transfer carefully to parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, just until the edges are set and barely starting to turn golden. These cookies should NOT get brown—you want soft, tender centers.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’re fragile when hot!), then transfer to a cooling rack. Make sure they’re completely cool before decorating, or your icing will melt right off.
Notes
- Re-rolling scraps: Stack your scraps on top of each other instead of wadding them into a ball. This keeps the dough from getting tough.
- Even baking: Rotate your baking sheet halfway through baking for even color.
- Cookie cutter trick: Dip your cookie cutters in flour between cuts to prevent sticking.
- Common mistake to avoid: Don’t bake these until they’re brown. Sugar cookies continue cooking as they cool, so pulling them when they look “almost done” gives you the perfect soft texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes + Chill Time: 30–60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1–2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional, but adds brightness!)
For Decorating:
- 1–2 cups royal icing or vanilla glaze
- Pastel sanding sugar and sprinkles
- Food coloring (gel or liquid) in soft pastel colors
Simple Royal Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Why These Ingredients Work
Butter (room temperature): This is what makes these cookies so tender and rich. Room temp butter creams beautifully with the sugar, creating that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Baking powder: Just enough to give a gentle lift without making the cookies puffy. We want them soft but still flat enough to decorate.
Lemon zest: This is my secret weapon! It’s totally optional, but it adds a subtle brightness that screams “spring” without overpowering the classic sugar cookie flavor.
Royal icing: Dries firm and smooth, making it ideal for stacking and gifting. You can also use a simple vanilla glaze if you prefer a softer finish.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer – for creaming butter and sugar
- Medium mixing bowl – for dry ingredients
- Rolling pin – to roll out dough evenly
- Easter-themed cookie cutters – bunnies, eggs, chicks, flowers, crosses
- Baking sheets – lined with parchment paper
- Cooling rack – essential for proper cooling before decorating
- Piping bags or squeeze bottles – for decorating with icing
- Offset spatula – helpful for transferring delicate cut-outs
How To Make Easter Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set this aside—you’ll add it later. This step ensures everything is evenly distributed so you don’t get pockets of baking powder in your dough.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl (or your stand mixer), beat 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy—about 2–3 minutes. Don’t rush this! Proper creaming creates air pockets that make your cookies tender.
Step 3: Add Egg and Flavorings
Add 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and your lemon zest (if using). Mix until everything is well combined and the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add your dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Important: Don’t overmix! As soon as you don’t see dry flour anymore, stop.
Step 5: Chill the Dough (Don’t Skip This!)
Divide your dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. Yes, this step is mandatory! Chilled dough is easier to roll, cuts cleaner, and spreads way less in the oven.
Step 6: Roll and Cut Your Shapes
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use your favorite Easter cookie cutters to cut out shapes—bunnies, eggs, chicks, spring flowers. Transfer carefully to parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
Step 7: Bake to Perfection
Bake for 8–10 minutes, just until the edges are set and barely starting to turn golden. These cookies should NOT get brown—you want soft, tender centers.
Step 8: Cool Completely
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’re fragile when hot!), then transfer to a cooling rack. Make sure they’re completely cool before decorating, or your icing will melt right off.
You Must Know
The dough MUST be chilled. I know it’s tempting to skip this, but warm dough spreads like crazy and you’ll end up with blob-shaped cookies instead of cute bunnies. Trust me on this one!
Use room temperature butter and egg. Cold ingredients don’t cream properly, and you’ll end up with dense cookies. Set them out about 30–45 minutes before you start.
Personal Secret: I always add a tiny pinch of almond extract (just ¼ teaspoon) along with the vanilla. It adds this subtle bakery-style flavor that people can’t quite put their finger on, but they always ask what makes these cookies taste so special!
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
Flouring your work surface: Use just enough flour to prevent sticking, but not so much that you’re kneading it into the dough. Too much extra flour makes dry cookies.
Re-rolling scraps: Stack your scraps on top of each other instead of wadding them into a ball. This keeps the dough from getting tough.
Even baking: Rotate your baking sheet halfway through baking for even color.
Cookie cutter trick: Dip your cookie cutters in flour between cuts to prevent sticking.
Common mistake to avoid: Don’t bake these until they’re brown. Sugar cookies continue cooking as they cool, so pulling them when they look “almost done” gives you the perfect soft texture.
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Almond Sugar Cookies: Replace 1 teaspoon of vanilla with almond extract for a bakery-style flavor.
Orange Zest: Swap lemon zest for orange zest for a different citrus note.
Add sprinkles to the dough: Fold in ¼ cup pastel sprinkles before chilling for funfetti-style cookies.
Chocolate-dipped: Skip the royal icing and dip half of each cooled cookie in melted white chocolate, then add sprinkles.
Coconut lover’s version: Add ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut to the dough and use coconut extract instead of vanilla.
Make-Ahead Options
Dough: Make the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it wrapped tightly in the fridge. You can also freeze the dough disks for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Baked cookies (undecorated): Bake cookies up to 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, then decorate closer to your event.
Fully decorated cookies: These can be made 3–5 days ahead. Just make sure the icing is completely dry before stacking or storing.
Freezing baked cookies: Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature and decorate fresh.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Thickness matters: Roll to a consistent ¼-inch thickness. Any thinner and they’ll be crispy; any thicker and they might be doughy in the center.
Royal icing consistency: For outlining, you want toothpaste consistency. For flooding (filling in), thin it with a few drops of milk until it flows smoothly but isn’t runny.
Drying time: Royal icing can take 4–8 hours to fully dry, depending on humidity. If you’re in a rush, set cookies near a fan (not a heat source).
Food coloring tip: Gel food coloring gives you vibrant pastels without thinning your icing. Start with a tiny bit—you can always add more!
Serving Suggestions
Arrange these beauties on a tiered dessert stand for your Easter brunch or dinner. They’re perfect alongside fresh fruit salad, lemon bars or carrot cake, hot cross buns, and a pretty pot of herbal tea or fresh lemonade.
Kids absolutely love decorating their own cookies, so set up a little decorating station with different colored icings, sprinkles, and edible pearls. It’s an activity and dessert all in one!
You can also package these in cellophane bags tied with pastel ribbon for the sweetest Easter favors or teacher gifts.
How to Store Your Easter Sugar Cookies
Room temperature: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment paper, for up to 1 week.
Refrigerator: Not recommended—the fridge can make cookies go stale faster and may cause decorated icing to sweat.
Freezer: Freeze undecorated cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating. Decorated cookies can be frozen, but colors may bleed slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: These are best enjoyed at room temperature! No reheating needed.
Allergy Information
Contains: Wheat (gluten), dairy (butter), eggs
Dairy-free option: Use vegan butter (like Earth Balance) in place of regular butter. For dairy-free icing, use plant-based milk.
Egg-free option: Try a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes) though texture may be slightly different.
Gluten-free option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Results may vary slightly in texture—I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
Nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free as written (just skip the almond extract variation if needed).
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I make these cookies without the lemon zest?
Absolutely! The lemon zest is totally optional. It adds a lovely brightness, but classic vanilla sugar cookies are just as delicious. These are YOUR cookies—make them however you love them!
My dough is too sticky to roll out—what do I do?
Pop it back in the fridge for another 15–20 minutes. If your kitchen is warm, the butter softens quickly. You can also lightly flour your rolling pin and work surface. Just don’t add too much flour or your cookies will be dry!
How do I get clean edges on my cut-out cookies?
The secret is cold dough and a sharp cutter! Make sure your dough is well-chilled, and dip your cookie cutter in flour between each cut. When transferring to the baking sheet, use a thin spatula and work gently.
Can I use store-bought icing instead of making royal icing?
Yes! If you’re short on time, store-bought decorating icing works fine. Just know that homemade royal icing dries harder and stacks better if you’re planning to package or gift these cookies.
My cookies spread in the oven—why?
This usually means the dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or your butter was too soft. Make sure you chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, and don’t let it sit at room temperature too long before baking. Also, check that your oven temperature is accurate!
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d absolutely LOVE to see your beautiful Easter creations! Tag me on social media or drop a photo in the comments.
