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Best Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing Leaves

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These Thanksgiving sugar cookies with royal icing leaves are soft, tender, and beautifully decorated. They’re a perfect make-ahead treat for the holiday season, with a buttery vanilla-almond flavor and glossy icing that dries to a smooth finish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 4–5 tablespoons warm water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Gel food coloring: orange, brown, yellow, and red

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  2. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disk about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  6. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
  7. Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Dip leaf cookie cutters in flour, then press firmly into the dough. Transfer cut shapes to prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut more cookies.
  8. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking.
  9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Cookies should be lightly golden around the edges but still pale on top.
  10. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  11. In a clean mixing bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 4 tablespoons warm water and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for about 4 minutes until thick and glossy.
  12. Test consistency: if too thick, add water ½ teaspoon at a time; if too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Ideal consistency is like toothpaste.
  13. Divide icing into small bowls. Color one portion orange, one brown, one yellow, and leave a small portion white.
  14. Transfer each color to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (size 2 or 3). Pipe outlines of leaves on each cookie. For maple leaves, pipe outline and fill center. For oak leaves, pipe outline and use a toothpick to spread icing into corners.
  15. Let iced cookies dry at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  16. Once dry, add details like leaf veins using slightly thicker icing in a contrasting color. Pipe thin lines from base to tip following natural vein pattern.

Notes

Don’t skip the chilling steps—chilled dough is essential for sharp edges. Use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperature. For royal icing, the perfect consistency is ’15-second icing’—when lifted, the ribbon settles back in about 15 seconds. Work in batches to prevent colors from bleeding.

Nutrition

Keywords: Thanksgiving cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, leaf cookies, fall cookies, holiday baking, decorated cookies

Find it online: https://recipebelle.com/best-thanksgiving-sugar-cookies-with-royal-icing-leaves/