Pastel Christmas Par-Tea: Pink Tree Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing Recipe
Celebrate the holidays with a delightful batch of Pastel Christmas Par-Tea Pink Tree Sugar Cookies. These soft, buttery cookies are perfectly sweetened and beautifully decorated with homemade royal icing, making them an ideal festive treat for sharing at any Christmas gathering.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 3 cups / 375 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Royal Icing
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 4 cups / 500 g icing sugar
- 3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon meringue powder
- 1/2 cup water + more as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring to form a smooth dough. Do not overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up, which makes rolling and cutting easier.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use pink tree-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare Royal Icing: In a large bowl, combine the icing sugar and meringue powder. Add white vinegar and water, mixing until smooth and glossy. Adjust consistency by adding more water if necessary for easier piping and flooding.
- Decorate the Cookies: Using piping bags, decorate the cooled cookies with the royal icing. Let the icing set at room temperature for several hours or until completely dry before serving or packaging.
Notes
- Ensure butter is at room temperature for easier creaming and better texture.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats on baking sheets to prevent sticking.
- Royal icing consistency can be adjusted for outlining or flooding cookies.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Keywords: Christmas cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, holiday baking, pastel cookies, festive treats, pink tree cookies