Description
Elegant vanilla bean sugar cookies decorated with glossy royal icing in graduation-inspired designs, perfect for celebrating the Class of 2026.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened but cool
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 4 cups (500g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- â…“ cup warm water, plus extra as needed
- 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring in school colors
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract until fully combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the flour and salt, mixing just until the dough comes together.
- Divide the dough into two disks and roll each between parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness.
- Refrigerate the rolled dough for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Cut shapes using graduation-themed cookie cutters and place on a parchment-lined tray.
- Chill the cut cookies for 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the centers look matte and the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool the cookies completely before decorating.
- In a clean bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and warm water on low speed for 4 to 5 minutes until glossy.
- Mix in the clear vanilla extract.
- Divide the icing into bowls and tint with gel food coloring.
- Add water drop by drop until the icing reaches 15-second flooding consistency.
- Transfer icing to piping bags fitted with small round tips.
- Pipe outlines around the cookies and flood the centers with icing.
- Use a toothpick to remove air bubbles and smooth the icing.
- Allow the base layer to dry for 2 hours before adding details.
- Pipe graduation tassels, diplomas, or custom text on top.
- Let the cookies dry completely overnight until firm.
Notes
Avoid overmixing the butter and sugar to maintain crisp cookie edges. Chilling the dough before and after cutting helps prevent spreading during baking.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg