These perfect Easter sugar cookies stay soft in the center and are sturdy enough for decorating. Cute little bunnies and Easter eggs are perfect for the holiday!
Combine sifted gluten free flour, salt and baking powder in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
3 ½ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat on medium speed about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl.
½ Cup Vegan Butter, ½ Cup Shortening, 2 Cup Sugar
Add in the eggs and vanilla. Beat for about 60-90 seconds more until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
2 Eggs, 2 teaspoon Vanilla
Turn mixer to lowest speed. Slowly add the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. If the mixture seems too stiff, add the 1 tablespoon of milk.
1 Tablespoon Non Dairy Milk
Divide dough in half. Cover each half with plastic wrap and flatten to 1 inch thick. Place wrapped dough in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and roll out to ¼” thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place the cut shapes on the cookie sheet and place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. The extra chilling time helps the shapes stay crisp/defined when baking.
Bake in preheated oven for 11-13 minutes. Ideally the cookies should be very light in color on the top and sides and the bottoms should be lightly browned. If you notice browning around the edges it usually means the dough wasn't rolled to an even thickness or you've baked them too long.
Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
For the Royal Icing
Combine all of the ingredients in a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Start out on slow speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Then turn mixer to high setting and beat for 6-8 minutes until very fluffy.
4 Cup Powdered Sugar, 2 Egg Whites, ½ Cup Water, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
The resulting icing will be the right thickness for drawing lines and outlining shapes. Separate a portion of the frosting and add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing settles in on itself within a few seconds when you drizzle it from a spoon. This thinner icing will be suitable for filling large areas on a cookie.
Notes
STORAGE: Let cookies air dry until the icing is completely hardened before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.