Printed Sugar Cookies
This tutorial for Printed Sugar Cookies will guide you through the steps of making these charming treats.
Not a frosting fan? Me neither! Which is why these printed sugar cookies are the perfect option to make beautifully decorated cookies without the piping!
What you’ll need
- Sugar cookie dough: I highly recommend Stella Parks’ Rolled Sugar Cookie recipe for these cookies, as they hold their texture well and taste amazing — a combination difficult to find in sugar cookies. But if you have your own trusted recipe that holds its shape well during baking, that will work just fine.
- Gel food coloring: Gel food coloring is best for these printed sugar cookies as you only need a few drops to get vibrant colors. Avoid liquid food coloring, which can affect the texture of the dough.
- Cookie cutters: You’ll need at least one regular-sized cookie cutter (about 3 inches or 8 cm) and several mini cookie cutters. I used these mini fondant cutters to make the flowers and leaves. They have a plunger making the mini flowers easy to remove. I’ve also been using this mini letter cutter set.
- Rolling pin: A lightly floured rolling pin is essential in rolling out the cookies.
- Offset spatula: An offset spatula allows you to easily transfer the mini flowers onto the dough without ruining their shape.
- Baking sheet: I highly recommend an insulated baking sheet for making sugar cookies. They keep the delicate cookies from browning too quickly.
- Parchment paper: Use parchment paper to line your baking sheets and to place the formed mini flowers on while you prepare the rest.
- Sugar pearls (optional): Adding sugar pearls to the center of each flower before baking adds a bright pop of white to each cookie.
Step by step photos
Step 1: Separate the dough into 5 portions (1 large and 4 small). Use gel food coloring to color the dough.
Step 2: Roll out the small portions of dough. Cut out mini flowers, leaves, letters or your choice of shape.
Step 3: Transfer the letters to a parchment paper lined plan. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 4: Roll out the large portion of cookie dough. Decorate with small flowers or shapes, then cut out your cookies.
Step 5: Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet. Add sugar pearls to the center of the flowers if desired.
Step 6: Chill for at least 30 minutes, then bake and enjoy!
Storage and make ahead
Leftover sugar cookies will generally keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
These cookies also freeze beautifully for up to 6 months.
You can also make the cookie dough a day or two in advance. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Let the dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
Expert tips and tricks
- Press the flowers very gently into the cookies. A lot of recipes for printed sugar cookies recommend completely pressing or rolling the smaller shapes into the cookies. I prefer to gently press the small flowers down just so they adhere. The shapes will still be raised. I’ve had no problem with even baking, even with my temperamental gas oven.
- Add sugar pearls for a pop of white. There’s something about the pop of white in these cookies that adds extra charm. I played around with using white food coloring but couldn’t get the perfect color. Instead, sugar pearls provide the perfect solution. Add them before baking so they adhere to the cookies.
- Don’t overbake your cookies. Especially if you’re using the recipe I provided, these cookies shouldn’t be golden brown around the edges. They’re ready when they’re puffed up a bit, but still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue cooking as they sit on the hot pan out of the oven.
FAQs
I always use Stella Parks’ Sugar Cookie Recipe, because it holds its shape well and tastes amazing. I’ve also tested these cookies with Sally’s Best Sugar Cookie Recipe. It does work okay, but I find the taste and texture of Stella’s recipe to be a bit better and the dough is easier to work.
I don’t recommend liquid food coloring, as you will need quite a lot to get a vibrant color and the liquid can affect the consistency of the dough. Use gel food coloring for best results.
You can use a regular baking pan. I just prefer insulated baking sheets for these printed sugar cookies because they help the cookies stay a lighter color, which lets the flower pattern really shine.
I’ve made these cookies with autumn leaves (colored red, orange and yellow) and also love to make custom cookies writing words with letter cutters. You could also make fun designs for holidays with something like mini Christmas cookie cutters!
Printed Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 2 hours 42 minutes
- Yield: 24
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Chill Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Global
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- Cut-out sugar cookie dough (I always use Stella Parks’ Recipe)
- Gel food coloring
- Sugar pearls (optional)
Equipment
- Regular size cookie cutter
- Mini cookie cutters (flowers, leaves, etc.)
- Rolling pin
- Offset spatula
- Parchment paper
- Insulated baking sheet
Instructions
- Make the sugar cookie dough.
- Leave 2/3 of the dough plain and separate the remaining dough into four portions to color. If using the linked recipe, this comes out to about 550 grams of plain dough and 230 grams total of colored dough (or 70 grams per each colored portion).
- Color the four small portions with your choice of food coloring. You’ll only need a small amount of gel for each portion. Knead the color into the dough until fully incorporated.
- Form each portion of dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out each colored dough portion to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness (or slightly thicker). Use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the colored dough. Use an offset spatula to transfer the shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Roll out the plain dough portion to 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness on a lightly floured surface. Make sure you’re not rolling your cookies too thin. The cookies are quite thick.
- Arrange the mini flower cutouts on the rolled-out dough in a decorative pattern. Gently press the mini flowers into the dough to ensure they adhere well, but don’t completely flatten them.
- Use a large cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the decorated dough, ensuring that the mini flowers are included in each cutout.
- Transfer the cut-out cookies to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Add sugar pearls to the center of each flower if desired. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the cookies 12 minutes (this might be less if using a different cookie recipe).
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Yield: The yield will vary considerably depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
Storage: These printed sugar cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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