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Perfect Kid-Friendly Royal Icing Turkey Sugar Cookies

royal icing turkey sugar cookies - featured image
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These soft, buttery sugar cookies are topped with a perfectly set royal icing and decorated as adorable turkeys. They’re a foolproof, no-chill dough recipe that’s ideal for baking with kids and makes a festive Thanksgiving treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) meringue powder
  • 4–5 tablespoons (60-75ml) water, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Gel food coloring: brown, orange, red, yellow, and green
  • Piping bags
  • Small round piping tips (sizes #2 and #3)
  • Candy eyes (optional)
  • Edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides halfway through.
  3. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined and smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out turkey shapes and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and cut again (yields about 18-20 cookies).
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges just start to turn golden. Centers will look soft. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
  7. For royal icing: In a clean bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 4 tablespoons water and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 4 minutes until thick but flows slowly (honey consistency). Adjust with water or powdered sugar as needed.
  8. Divide icing into bowls for each color. Add gel food coloring drop by drop. Transfer each color to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
  9. Outline turkey body with brown icing. Thin remaining brown icing with a few drops of water to flood consistency (warm maple syrup). Fill outlined area with flood icing, using a toothpick to spread and pop bubbles. Repeat for feathers with fall colors. Let base colors dry for at least 30 minutes.
  10. Pipe on beak, wattle, eyes, and feather details. Press candy eyes into wet icing if using.
  11. Let dry completely, at least 4-6 hours or overnight, before storing.

Notes

The dough does not require chilling. For best results, use gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid thinning the icing. Royal icing must dry completely (overnight recommended) before stacking. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Undecorated baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, Thanksgiving cookies, kid-friendly, decorated cookies, fall baking

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/perfect-kid-friendly-royal-icing-turkey-sugar-cookies/