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Cozy Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies with Easy Turkey Royal Icing

Thanksgiving sugar cookies - featured image
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Buttery, soft sugar cookies topped with smooth, glossy royal icing in a charming turkey design. This forgiving recipe requires no chill time and uses simple ingredients, making it perfect for holiday baking with kids or for impressing guests at your Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6–7 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or clear vanilla
  • Gel food coloring: brown, orange, red, yellow, and green
  • Black food coloring pen or edible marker

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a stand mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides.
  3. Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
  4. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until dough comes together. Do not overmix.
  5. Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness.
  6. Use turkey cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Gather scraps and re-roll.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Edges should be barely golden.
  8. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
  9. For royal icing: In stand mixer, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons warm water and vanilla. Beat on low, then medium-high for 5-7 minutes until thick and glossy.
  10. For flooding consistency, add water a teaspoon at a time until icing settles into a smooth surface within 10-15 seconds when drizzled.
  11. Divide icing into bowls. Color one portion brown, one orange, one red, one yellow, and one green. Leave a small portion white.
  12. Fit piping bag with #2 tip and fill with brown icing. Outline and flood turkey body. Let set 15 minutes.
  13. Use yellow and green icing to pipe dots or lines for feathers. Let set 10 minutes.
  14. Pipe orange beak and red wattle. Use black food coloring pen to draw eyes.
  15. Let decorated cookies sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours to harden icing.

Notes

Dough does not require chilling, but chilling cut-out cookies for 15 minutes before baking helps them hold shape. Royal icing consistency is key: test by lifting spoon – ribbon should disappear into bowl within 10 seconds. Work in batches of 6 cookies at a time to prevent icing from drying out. Cookies taste better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: Thanksgiving cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, turkey cookies, holiday baking, cut-out cookies, easy decorating

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/cozy-thanksgiving-sugar-cookies-with-easy-turkey-royal-icing/