Baseball Cookies with Royal Icing
Delightful cookies decorated with royal icing, perfect for game days and family gatherings. Simple enough for any home baker to create.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour Structure
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder Lift
- ¼ teaspoon salt Enhances flavor
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Moisture and richness
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar Sweetness and structure
- 1 large egg Binding agent
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Flavor
- ½ teaspoon almond extract Flavor
Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar Sweetness and consistency for icing
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder Stabilizes icing
- 5 tablespoons water Dilutes for icing consistency; more as needed
- 1 drop yellow food coloring Optional, for yellow softballs
Instructions
Preparation
- Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir together until evenly blended.
- In another large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar using a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until combined to form a cohesive dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thickness and use a baseball-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies.
- Transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them an inch apart.
- Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Icing and Decoration
- Prepare the royal icing by mixing together powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth.
- Divide the icing into bowls if using multiple colors and add food coloring as desired.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing using a piping bag or Ziploc bag with a snipped corner.
- Allow the decorated cookies to dry completely for several hours.
Notes
Ensure butter is softened at room temperature and chill the dough long enough to maintain shapes. Use food coloring sparingly to achieve the desired shade for icing.