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Adorable Monster Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing: Easy Recipe

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These adorable monster sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and topped with colorful royal icing and candy eyes. Perfect for parties, bake sales, or any occasion that needs a little fun, this forgiving recipe yields charmingly imperfect cookies that taste as good as they look.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (pure)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5–6 tablespoons water, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Gel food coloring in various colors
  • Candy eyes (12mm size)
  • Assorted sprinkles
  • Black decorating gel
  • Colored sanding sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then mix on low until just combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together. It should be soft but not sticky.
  3. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll one disc of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut more cookies. Refrigerate the baking sheets for 10 minutes before baking.
  5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are just barely golden. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. In a stand mixer bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 5 tablespoons of water and vanilla extract. Beat on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat for 5-7 minutes until thick and glossy with stiff peaks. Adjust consistency with water or powdered sugar as needed.
  7. Divide icing into separate bowls for each color. Add gel food coloring a little at a time until desired shade is reached. Cover each bowl with a damp paper towel.
  8. Transfer each color of icing to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Outline the cookie with base color, then fill in by piping more icing and spreading with a toothpick. Let base layer dry for about 30 minutes.
  9. Pipe on monster features. Add candy eyes while icing is still wet. Use black decorating gel to draw mouths, eyebrows, and horns. Add sprinkles for fur, warts, or hair. Let icing dry completely (4-6 hours) before stacking.

Notes

Don’t skip the chill time—warm dough spreads. Check icing consistency: drag a knife through; line should disappear in about 10 seconds. Work in batches to avoid color bleeding. Use a toothpick for small details. Let icing dry completely (4-6 hours) before stacking. Cookies taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, monster cookies, royal icing, decorated cookies, easy cookie recipe, party cookies, bake sale cookies

Find it online: https://cravemila.com/adorable-monster-sugar-cookies-with-royal-icing-easy-recipe/