Decorative Sugar Cookies

These decorative sugar cookies take a different approach to decoration than the typical bake-then-ice method. The colored egg-white wash gets brushed or piped onto the unbaked cookies, and the cookies bake with the design already on them. The result is a glossy, painted surface that looks like vintage holiday-card cookies, with no royal icing required.

Almond extract is the secret behind the dough’s flavor. Most rolled sugar cookies use vanilla; the almond gives these a more sophisticated, slightly marzipan-like profile that pairs beautifully with the egg-white-wash decoration.

Chill the dough at least an hour, longer if you have the time. With this much butter, warm dough turns to slop the moment you try to roll it. Cold dough cuts cleanly and keeps shapes through the bake.

Whip the egg white only until frothy, not stiff. Stiff peaks won’t brush smoothly; frothy whites flow off the brush in a thin, paintable layer that bakes into a glossy enamel. Tint with paste food coloring (gel works better than liquid) for vibrant tones that don’t water down the wash.

Bake at 325°F (165°C) and watch closely. The recipe is firm: don’t over-brown. The painted surface goes from glossy bright color to dull-and-burnt fast at higher temps.

Pro Tips

• Roll between two sheets of parchment to keep added flour to a minimum and avoid sticking. Less flour means more tender cookies.
• Work in small batches with the dough; keep the rest in the fridge. Cold dough cuts cleanest.
• Use multiple small bowls of tinted egg white if you want multi-color designs. Keep brushes clean between colors so the colors stay clean.
• Add silver dragees, sanding sugar, or sprinkles immediately after painting; they stick to the wet wash and bake on.

Variations

• Swap almond extract for lemon zest, vanilla, or rose water for different scented cookies.
• Decorate with royal icing after baking instead of the egg-white-wash for the more familiar piped-and-flooded look.
• Cut into seasonal shapes (snowflakes, hearts, eggs, leaves) for any holiday.