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Perfect Pencil-Shaped Sugar Cookies Recipe

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These pencil-shaped sugar cookies feature a tender, buttery base with crisp edges and are decorated with smooth, glossy royal icing for a playful and charming treat perfect for classroom parties or gifts.

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 pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 tablespoons (90ml) warm water, adjusted as needed
  • Gel food coloring (yellow, pink, silver, and black)
  • Edible silver paint or luster dust (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. (5 minutes)
  2. Cream butter and sugar: beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. (5 minutes)
  3. Add egg and vanilla: beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined. (2 minutes)
  4. Incorporate dry ingredients and cream: gradually add dry ingredients alternating with heavy cream, mixing just until combined. (5 minutes)
  5. Chill the dough: divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. (60+ minutes)
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. (10 minutes)
  7. Roll out dough to about ¼ inch (6mm) thickness on a lightly floured surface. (10 minutes)
  8. Cut cookies using pencil-shaped cookie cutter and transfer to baking sheets about 1 inch apart. (10 minutes)
  9. Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are just turning golden. (10-11 minutes)
  10. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. (20-30 minutes)
  11. Prepare royal icing: combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and warm water; beat on low then high speed until thick and glossy. Divide and color as desired. (15 minutes)
  12. Decorate cookies: outline and flood pencil body in yellow icing, tip in pink, ferrule in silver or gray; let dry partially before adding black lead tips or details. (30-60 minutes drying time)
  13. Add final touches: use edible silver paint on ferrule for shine and let cookies dry completely overnight. (Overnight)

Notes

Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading. Use gel food coloring for vibrant icing. Let royal icing dry between layers to avoid bleeding. Adjust icing consistency by adding powdered sugar or water as needed. Use a timer to avoid overbaking. Store cookies in airtight container with parchment paper; freeze undecorated cookies for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, pencil-shaped cookies, royal icing, back-to-school treats, classroom party cookies, decorated sugar cookies, easy sugar cookies

Find it online: https://forkifyfun.com/perfect-pencil-shaped-sugar-cookies-recipe-easy-step-by-step-tutorial/