Go Back

Summer Sugar Cookies

Summer sugar cookies with fluffy creamed butter and sugar, rolled to 1/4 inch and baked until edges are barely golden. Chill for 1 hour, then top with pastel royal icing for crisp, set swirls on every cookie.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
Wet ingredients and baking
  • 1 butter, softened
  • 1.5 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decorating
  • 1 Pastel royal icing for decorating

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, so the mixture looks lighter in color and texture.
  2. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
  3. Mix in all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder just until a cohesive dough forms with no dry flour remaining.
Chill and shape
  1. Chill dough for 1 hour to firm it up for clean cuts.
  2. Roll chilled dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut with summer shapes.
Bake and decorate
  1. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 min, until edges are barely golden.
  2. Cool completely, then decorate with pastel royal icing for decorating to let the icing set.

Notes

Pro tip: gel food coloring gives vibrant pastel royal icing swirls without thinning the icing. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies (without decorating) for up to 2 months and thaw before icing. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-based butter substitute and chill as directed for workable dough.