Easter Sugar Cookies

UPDATE: Here's an awesome tutorial via Annie's Eats to show you how to decorate with royal icing!

Finally I get something posted BEFORE the holiday it pertains to! I'm such a procrastinator. I'm lucky if I get things posted ON the actual holiday, much less before it! For bloggers like me, it's particularly important to get special holiday posts up before the holiday. That way our readers can use the information we post as a guide for their holiday baking. So here are the sugar cookies I decorated for Easter. Feel free to use these designs on your own sugar cookies. I got my inspiration from Flickr user ktrammell.

For all cookies I used either a #1 or #2 round tip, depending on how thin the icing was and the precision of the detail I was trying to draw. For basic outlines with thick icing, I used a #2 tip. For precise details with thick icing, I used a #1 tip. For filling in outlines with thin icing, I used a #1 tip (when I tried using the #2 tip with thin icing, it would constantly drip out of the tip).

For the Hatching Chick: (my favorite!)
1) Using thick white royal icing (#2 tip), outline the shape of the eggshell. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
2) Using thick dark yellow royal icing (#2 tip), outline the shape of the chick. Let it dry for 15 minutes.
3) Using thin teal royal icing (#1 tip), fill in the shape of the eggshell. Drop sprinkles onto the wet icing. Let it dry for 15 minutes.
4) Using thin light yellow royal icing (#1 tip), fill in the shape of the chick. Let it dry for 15 minutes.
5) Using thick white, orange, and dark yellow royal icing (#1 tip), draw the details of the face. Let the finished cookie dry overnight.

For the "Hopping" Bunny:
1) Using thick white royal icing (#2 tip), outline the shape of the bunny. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
2) Using the same icing and tip, fill in a round bunny tail. Drop white nonpareils onto the wet icing. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
3) Using thin royal icing of any color (#1 tip), fill in the shape of the bunny. Let it dry for 15 minutes.
4) Using thick royal icing of any color (#1 tip), draw the details of the face. Let the finished cookie dry overnight.

For the Bunny Face:
1) Using thick pink royal icing (#2 tip), outline the shape of the bunny face. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
2) Using thin white royal icing (#1 tip), fill in the shape of the bunny face. Let it dry for 15 minutes.
3) Using thick pink, light pink, and light teal royal icing (#1 tip), draw the details of the face. Let the finished cookie dry overnight.

For the Flower:
1) Using thick royal icing of any color (#2 tip), outline the shape and center of the flower. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
2) Using thin yellow royal icing (#1 tip), fill in the center of the flower. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
3) Using thin royal icing in a darker or lighter shade than the outline (#1 tip), fill in the shape of the flower. Let it dry for 15 minutes.
4) Using thick royal icing of any color (#1 tip), draw a spiral or any detail in the center. Let the finished cookie dry overnight.

For the Tulip:
1) Using thick royal icing of any color (#2 tip), outline the shape of the tulip and draw the lines of the petals. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
2) Using thin royal icing in a darker or lighter shade (#1 tip), fill in the outlines. Let it dry for 10 minutes.
3) Using thick green royal icing (#1 tip), draw and fill in the stem. Let the finished cookie dry overnight.
As always, I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe (from Allrecipes.com) and the royal icing recipe from Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss.

"The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies" from Allrecipes.com (scaled down)
Makes 50-60 cookies 1/4"-thick cookies

2 sticks + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla (I always bump it up to 1 teaspoon)
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (This time I had to substitute self-rising flour by omitting the baking powder and salt. It resulted in a puffier cookie, but still delicious!)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least an hour (or overnight). (I split my dough in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. It takes mine about 3 hours before it's hard enough to roll out.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until barely golden around the edges. Cool on wire rack. (I've found that the kitchen stays organized if you do all the rolling and cutting before you start baking. Cut out the shapes and place them close together on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Make sure the pan is small enough to fit into your refrigerator or freezer. You can layer the cookies on sheets of wax paper and keep them all on the same pan in the fridge until you're ready to start baking. Then line the pans you're going to bake the cookies on with parchment paper. Place them 1 inch apart and bake according to the original directions. You might have to add 1 or 2 minutes to the baking time because the cookies are coming straight from the fridge or freezer. This process really makes things less hectic in the kitchen during baking!)

Royal Icing (from Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss)

1/3 cup (3 oz) pasteurized egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
4 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (I use almond and vanilla extracts)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Set the mixer to medium-low speed and gradually add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Scrap thoroughly between additions. Add the lemon juice and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the icing is no longer shiny, 6-8 minutes (mine stays somewhat shiny). Use immediately or place in an airtight container. You can keep the icing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow it to come to room temperature before using it. (I always add about 2 teaspoons of water to this before I use it. To thin it out even more, add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time until it's the constistency you want. It takes some practice, but you'll get used to figuring out what constistency you need.)