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Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

Thanksgiving sugar cookies are rolled, cut into festive shapes, and finished with glossy royal icing in fall colors. Chilling the dough helps the cutouts hold their shape as they bake.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling and icing setting 7 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the royal icing
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp meringue powder
  • 6 tbsp water warm
  • gel food coloring fall colors, as needed

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 baking sheets

Method
 

Make the cookies
  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
  5. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk.
  6. Wrap the disks and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  7. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Roll each disk between sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thickness.
  9. Cut the dough into Thanksgiving shapes and arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.
  10. Reroll the scraps as needed.
  11. Refrigerate the cutouts on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.
  12. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, switching the sheets between racks and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden.
  13. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
  14. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the royal icing
  1. Beat the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and warm water in a large bowl on low speed until combined.
  2. Beat on medium-high for 5 minutes, until thick and glossy.
  3. Divide the icing among small bowls and tint with gel food coloring in fall colors, as needed.
  4. Pipe or spread the icing onto the cooled cookies.
  5. Let stand uncovered for at least 6 hours, until the icing is firm.

Notes

For clean edges, keep the dough chilled while working with each disk. Store the iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.