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Perfect Firework Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Royal Icing for Celebrations

firework sugar cookies - featured image
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These festive sugar cookies feature a tender crumb and a smooth, glossy royal icing decorated to look like fireworks, perfect for any celebration.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 7–8 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or clear almond extract
  • Gel food coloring in red, blue, yellow, and white

Instructions

  1. Mix the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
  2. Cream softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll one dough disc on a floured surface to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness. Cut out shapes using firework-shaped or star cookie cutters. Transfer to baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
  8. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are just golden and centers look slightly soft. Remove early rather than late.
  9. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely before decorating.
  10. Prepare royal icing by combining powdered sugar, meringue powder, and vanilla in a bowl. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time, mixing on low until icing reaches thick but pipeable consistency. Thin icing slightly with more water for flooding.
  11. Divide icing into small bowls and tint with gel food coloring. Use piping bags to outline cookie edges with thicker icing, then flood centers with thinned icing using a spoon or piping bag. Use toothpicks to spread and fix edges. Let outlines dry before flooding to avoid colors running.
  12. Let decorated cookies dry at room temperature for 4-6 hours or overnight to harden the royal icing.

Notes

[‘Chill dough for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading during baking.’, ‘Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning the icing.’, ‘Practice piping on parchment paper before decorating cookies.’, ‘Let outlines dry before flooding to prevent color bleeding.’, ‘Store cookies in a cool, dry place and avoid stacking while icing is wet.’, ‘Freeze dough wrapped tightly for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before use.’, ‘Royal icing needs 4-6 hours to dry fully; overnight drying is best.’, ‘Reheat cookies gently in a warm oven (200°F/95°C for 5 minutes) if desired; avoid microwaving.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, royal icing, firework cookies, celebration cookies, festive cookies, easy sugar cookies, holiday cookies, decorated cookies

Find it online: https://emmaoven.com/perfect-firework-sugar-cookies-recipe-with-easy-royal-icing-for-celebrations/