Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
2013-12-06- Cuisine: American, European
- Course: Dessert
- Skill Level: Easy to Moderate
- Yield : 30 to 40 cookies
- Servings : 30
- Prep Time : 40m
- Cook Time : 10m
- Ready In : 60m
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Nutritional Info
This information is per serving.
-
Calories
75 -
Calories from Fat
22 -
Total Fat
2g -
Saturated Fat
1.5g -
Trans Fat
0g -
Cholesterol
10mg -
Sodium
5mg -
Carbohydrates
12g -
Dietary Fiber
0g -
Sugar
7g -
Protein
1g -
Serving Size:
1 cookie (18 g)
Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing are crisp, thin cookies average about 75 calories per cookies without icing and have virtually sodium free when made with unsalted butter. Salted butter adds about 6 mg per cookie. Most cookie recipes call for 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) of salt. I normally omit added salt. If you prefer adding salt each cookie will have about 50 mg of sodium. Still low compared to many prepared foods including cookies and sweet cakes.
Royal Icing dries candy hard making it easy to stack iced cookies. If you are concerned about the safety of uncooked egg white, make royal icing using meringue powder available where most cake decorating products are sold.
Actual number of cookies will vary with size and shape of your cookie cutters and dough thickness.
Royal Icing recipes makes enough for 60 to 80 cookies. You can use a piping bag and leftover icing to make decorations for cakes and cookies. The meringue powder Royal Icing recipe can be cut in half.
Nutrition Facts
You can make and serve these cookies plain or frosted. Nutrition information is for unfrosted cookies. Royal icing adds about 15 calories per cookie all from added sugar. The actual number of calories depends on the thickness and if you add colored sugar decorations.
Cook’s Tips
- Royal icing dries very quickly. Keep bowl covered at all times with plastic wrap.
- After icing is dried, cookies can be stacked and stored in an air tight container in a cook dry place for several weeks or frozen for 6 months or longer.
Egg Whites versus Meringue Powder
Royal Icing is traditionally made with raw egg whites. In rare cases, eating raw eggs can cause food poisoning. The USDA does not recommend eating foods made with raw eggs unless the eggs are pasteurized.
If you are concerned about the safety of Royal Icing, you can make it using meringue powder. Meringue powder is made using dried egg whites. It is available in most stores in the cake decorating section or online.
Other Cookie Recipes
Ingredients
- Cookie Dough
- 4 oz. (113 g) butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) real vanilla extract
- 2 cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) baking powder
- Royal Icing Using Egg Whites
- White from 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 cups (200 g) sifted powdered (confectioners) sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) creme of tartar
- Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder
- 2 cups (200 g) sifted powdered (confectioners) sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 ml) meringue powder
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
Method of Preparation
Step 1
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla mixing until well combined (1 to 3 minutes).
Step 2
Combine flour and baking powder using a whisk or fork. Add to creamed mixture stirring by hand or using a stand mixer on low speed. Dough will be very stiff.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 4
To simplify rolling and cleanup, cover work surface with waxed paper secured with masking tape otherwise lightly dust surface with flour.
Step 5
Divide dough into quarters or thirds and roll to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. Cut into desired shapes and transfer to cookie sheets lightly sprayed with cooking spray or covered with parchment paper.
Step 6
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. For conventional ovens you make need to swap and rotate the baking sheets after 4 to 5 minutes for even browning. Cool cookies on wire racks. Decorate as desired using Royal Icing.
Step 7
Egg White Royal Icing
Step 8
Beat egg white and creme of tartar in a medium bowl on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar mixing well after each addition. Beat 5 to 7 minutes on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form.
Step 9
Meringue Powder Royal Icing
Step 10
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat 10 to 12 minutes on high speed for a hand mixer or 7 to 10 minutes on medium low speed using a stand mixer or per manufacturers instructions.
