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Perfect Pencil-Shaped Sugar Cookies Recipe Easy Homemade Royal Icing Tutorial

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These pencil-shaped sugar cookies are a fun and nostalgic treat perfect for back-to-school gatherings, teacher gifts, or a creative baking project. The recipe includes a foolproof royal icing tutorial for decorating.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tbsp pasteurized egg whites or 2 tbsp meringue powder
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tbsp water
  • Gel food coloring: yellow, pink, black, green
  • Light brown gel food coloring (for pencil wood tip, optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy and pale, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and optional almond extract until just combined.
  4. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Add flour if too sticky.
  5. Flatten dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll chilled dough to about ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness on a lightly floured surface.
  8. Cut pencil shapes using cookie cutters or a knife and template. Place cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
  9. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges start to turn golden but centers remain pale. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
  10. Prepare royal icing by beating powdered sugar with egg whites or meringue powder, lemon juice or vanilla, and water to desired consistency.
  11. Divide icing into bowls and tint with gel food coloring: yellow, pink, black, green, and light brown for pencil tip.
  12. Outline pencil edges with piping consistency icing; let dry 10 minutes.
  13. Flood pencil body with yellow icing and tip with pink mixed with brown. Use black for lead and green for eraser details. Use toothpick to smooth edges.
  14. Let decorated cookies dry at room temperature for 4-6 hours or overnight until icing sets matte.

Notes

Chill dough well before rolling to keep shapes sharp. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies tender. Use thick royal icing for outlines and thinner for flooding. Practice piping on parchment paper. Store decorated cookies in airtight containers layered with parchment paper for up to one week. Let icing dry completely before storage. For gluten-free, substitute flour with almond flour and add xanthan gum. For dairy-free, use plant-based butter and meringue powder for icing.

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, pencil-shaped cookies, royal icing, back to school, teacher gifts, homemade cookies, easy sugar cookies, cookie decorating

Find it online: https://tastypierecipes.com/perfect-pencil-shaped-sugar-cookies-recipe-easy-homemade-royal-icing-tutorial/