Easter Cookies fill the kitchen with the warm scent of buttery dough and sweet vanilla, bringing instant springtime joy to your home. These soft, pastel-decorated treats are the heart of every festive dessert table, especially when you’re making classic Easter sugar cookies shaped like bunnies and eggs. With smooth royal icing, delicate pastel swirls, and tender centers, they capture everything we love about spring baking recipes. Here at RecipesLace, we believe holiday baking should feel comforting, colorful, and completely doable—even if you’re new to cookie decorating.
Soft, buttery, and topped with pastel icing, these easy Easter cookies for beginners are perfect for gifting, decorating with kids, or building a beautiful spring dessert tray.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What Is Easter Cookies?
Easter Cookies are festive holiday sugar cookies traditionally baked during the Easter season. Often cut into bunny, chick, carrot, and egg shapes, they’re decorated with royal icing or pastel buttercream for a cheerful spring look.
When people search for the best Easter cookie recipes, they’re usually looking for soft centers, clean edges for decorating, and dough that holds its shape while baking. These cookies deliver all three—making them ideal for family baking sessions and party platters.
Why You’ll Love It
These homemade Easter cookies are simple, beautiful, and incredibly satisfying to make. The dough is forgiving, the decorating is creative, and the results look bakery-worthy without complicated steps.
- Quick to make
- Healthy flavor (balanced sweetness, not overpowering)
- Flexible ingredientsس
- Meal-prep friendly
- Kid-friendly
- Budget-friendly
Reader Questions You May Have
- What cookies are best for Easter gatherings?
- How do you decorate Easter sugar cookies with royal icing?
- Can you freeze Easter cookies before decorating?
- How to make Easter cookies soft and not dry?
These questions are common because everyone wants soft Easter cookies that stay fresh for days—especially when preparing ahead for holiday hosting.
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional, for bakery-style depth)
- Royal icing or pastel buttercream for decorating
- Natural food coloring for pastel icing
- Sprinkles for a festive cookie platter
Quick Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Dough
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy—this is the core moment that creates that tender crumb. Beat in egg and extracts, then gradually add dry ingredients.
Micro-tip: Don’t overmix once the flour is added—this keeps your cookies soft.
Chill
Wrap dough and chill for at least 1 hour. This helps maintain sharp bunny and egg shapes during baking.
Roll & Cut
Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into spring shapes. Place on lined baking sheets.
Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes. Edges should be just set—not browned.
Quick-fix: If cookies spread too much, chill cut shapes for 10 minutes before baking.
Cool Completely
Allow cookies to cool fully before decorating. Warm cookies melt icing.
Decorate
Pipe royal icing outlines, then flood with pastel icing. Add details once the base layer sets.
If you love decorative cookie styles, you’ll also enjoy these creative twists in Cookies and Cream Cookies.
Variations & Serving Ideas
Healthy Twist
Swap half the flour for white whole wheat and reduce sugar slightly. According to .healthline.small adjustments like whole grain swaps can gently increase fiber without sacrificing flavor.
Pair your platter with fresh fruit from these Peach Recipes – Juicy, Easy and Irresistible for balance.
Budget-Friendly Version
Use simple glaze icing instead of royal icing. Skip specialty cutters and use a round glass. Decorating doesn’t have to be elaborate to answer the question: How do you decorate Easter cookies easily?
Kid-Friendly Option
Let children use squeeze bottles of icing and pastel sprinkles. Focus on fun, not perfection. These truly are easy Easter cookies for kids.
High-Protein Upgrade
Serve alongside protein-rich treats like High Protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats for a balanced Easter brunch.
Tips
- Cream butter properly for fluffy texture—about 2–3 minutes.
- Roll dough evenly for consistent baking.
- Let icing dry at room temperature for 6–8 hours before stacking.
Professional bakers often say the secret to perfect holiday sugar cookies is patience—especially during decorating.
Storage & Reheating
Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Layer parchment between stacks to protect icing.
Can you freeze Easter cookies?
Yes. Freeze undecorated cookies up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
If you need make ahead Easter cookies for a party, bake and freeze the bases early, then decorate two days before serving for freshest texture.
FAQs
Avoid overbaking and measure flour correctly. Slightly underbaked centers firm up as they cool.
Royal icing creates smooth finishes. Buttercream offers softer texture but less precision.
3. Can I make Easter Cookies without chilling the dough?
Chilling prevents spreading. Skipping it may cause shape loss.
Classic Easter sugar cookies with pastel icing are always popular.
Absolutely. Start simple with glaze icing. For inspiration, explore sweet baked ideas like Hot Fudge Brownie Bread.
Up to 5 days at room temperature in airtight storage.
Nutrition
Approximate per cookie (medium size):
Calories: 140
Carbohydrates: 18g
Fat: 7g
Protein: 2g
Nutritional values are estimates and may vary based on ingredients and portion size.
Easter Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Hand mixer or stand mixer
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Easter cookie cutters (bunny, egg shapes)
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Piping bags (for royal icing)
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 2 cups powdered sugar for royal icing
- 2 –3 tablespoons milk or water for icing consistency
- Food coloring pastel colors
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Cut into Easter shapes using cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set but not browned.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, decorate with royal icing or pastel buttercream. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- For softer cookies, avoid overbaking. The centers should look slightly underdone when removed from the oven.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and keep sharp Easter shapes.
- Make sure cookies are completely cool before decorating to prevent icing from melting.
- Royal icing needs 6–8 hours to fully dry before stacking.
- Undecorated cookies can be frozen up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Final Notes
There’s something magical about baking Easter Cookies—the soft press of dough beneath your palms, the gentle shine of pastel icing, the way a simple buttery cookie dough transforms into edible spring art. Whether you’re creating bunny and egg shapes or assembling a festive cookie platter, these cookies bring warmth, color, and connection to your holiday table.