A classic Spring Sugar Cookie recipe in the shape of Easter eggs flavored with both vanilla and almond extract.
The cookies are then decorated with what I like to call my "royal icing hack" and colorful sprinkles.
Your dessert table will look perfect with these bright, easy cookies on a tray with the other desserts.
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This sugar cookie recipe works great all year long. You can use any shape cookie cutter you want for the event you're celebrating.
If you don't want to use the icing recipe listed below, you can leave them plain and drizzle with melted chocolate for a fun twist.
Looking for more Easy Desserts to serve for the Easter holiday? Try my Easter Bunny Cupcakes, Spring Sugar Cookies or my Easter Bundt Cake...yum!
Table of Contents
- Why you'll LOVE Spring Cut Out Cookies
- My Easy Trick for Making Royal Icing the Lazy Way
- Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Baking Instructions
- Decorating Instructions
- Before You Begin!
- Sugar Cookie Tips That Work for Me
- How to Store, Freeze and Thawing Tips
- More Recipes to Love
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll LOVE Spring Cut Out Cookies
Festive and Fun: Shaped like Easter eggs with colorful sprinkles, these cookies bring a cheerful touch to any spring celebration.
Flavorful Twist: The combination of vanilla and almond extracts adds a unique and delicious flavor that sets them apart from typical sugar cookies.
Easy Decorating Hack: Utilizing a simple "royal icing hack" with store-bought frosting makes decorating these cookies both easy and enjoyable.
Versatile for Any Occasion: While perfect for Easter, the recipe is adaptable—just change the cookie cutter shape and sprinkles to suit any holiday or event.
My Easy Trick for Making Royal Icing the Lazy Way
This recipe uses a store-bought frosting, only I'm sharing with you a "recipe hack" for turning it into royal icing:
- Remove both the lid and seal for the canister of frosting. Place it uncovered in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Remove and stir. The frosting should resemble a thick royal icing.
- If you want a thinner consistency, microwave for an additional 30 seconds.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag and decorate the cookies.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
More InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore Information
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Sugar
- Egg
- Almond and Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar or Flour for rolling the cookies out.
- Royal Icing
- Sprinkles
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use this recipe for any other occasion simply by changing the shape of the cookie cutter, the color of icing and the type of sprinkles.
- Leave the cookies plain without any frosting or sprinkle them with the colored sugar before baking.
- You could also use a circle shape cookie cutter and turn them into sandwich cookies once they're baked. Spread melted sugar, strawberry jam or even hazelnut spread in between the two cookies...yum!
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section includes step-by-step photos and instructions to guide you through the recipe. For the complete printable version, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, almond, and vanilla extracts, then mix in the dry ingredients until combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly but should hold together.
Step 3: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Turn the dough onto a floured or sugared surface, form into a ball, and roll to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with an Easter egg cookie cutter.
Baking Instructions
Step 5: Carefully place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 7–9 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely before decorating.
Decorating Instructions
Step 6: Once cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing and add sprinkles while the icing is still wet. Let dry fully before stacking or storing.
Before You Begin!
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Sugar Cookie Tips That Work for Me
- Chill the dough – It helps the cookies hold their shape when baking.
- Roll dough evenly – Use rolling pin guides or sticks to keep the cookies the same thickness.
- Flour lightly – Dust your surface and rolling pin lightly to avoid tough, dry cookies.
- Don’t overbake – Cookies should look just set and slightly golden at the edges.
- Cool before decorating – Let cookies cool completely so icing doesn’t melt or run.
How to Store, Freeze and Thawing Tips
Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Keep at room temperature for up to one week.
Freezer: Freeze completely cooled cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
Thawing Tips: Thaw cookies at room temperature, uncovered, to avoid condensation on the icing. Allow 1–2 hours before serving.
More Recipes to Love
You might enjoy my Easter M&M Bunny Cookies or my traditional Easy Sugar Cookies that are dipped in melted chocolate.
📖 Recipe Card
Spring Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter; softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can vanilla frosting
- Spring decorative sprinkles
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, almond extract and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. The dough will be a little crumbly.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a surface sprinkled with a little extra flour or powdered sugar.
- Press the dough into a ball and then roll out into ¼ inch thickness.
- Cut out the shapes using the egg shaped cookie cutter.
- Carefully lift the cookie shapes and place on the parchment lined baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes making sure they don't get brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool for at least 20 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Remove both the lid and seal for the cannister of frosting. Place it uncovered in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Remove and stir. The frosting should resemble a thick royal icing.
- If you want a thinner consistency, microwave for an additional 30 seconds.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag and decorate the cookies.
Nutrition
Notes
- Chill the dough – It helps the cookies hold their shape when baking.
- Roll dough evenly – Use rolling pin guides or sticks to keep the cookies the same thickness.
- Flour lightly – Dust your surface and rolling pin lightly to avoid tough, dry cookies.
- Don’t overbake – Cookies should look just set and slightly golden at the edges.
- Cool before decorating – Let cookies cool completely so icing doesn’t melt or run.
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