Baby Bloom Flower Cookies (Printable)

Buttery flower-shaped cookies adorned with soft pastel icing, ideal for festive gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

08 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
10 - 4 to 5 tablespoons water
11 - Food coloring gels in pastel shades: pink, yellow, green, blue, lavender

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Beat in egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut flower shapes using a cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps as needed.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are just golden. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until smooth, thick, and spreadable.
11 - Divide icing into small bowls and tint each with a different pastel gel color.
12 - Spread or pipe icing onto cooled cookies. Decorate as desired. Allow icing to set completely before serving or packaging.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look impressive but the technique is forgiving, even if your piping gets a little wobbly.
  • The buttery dough stays soft inside while the edges turn just golden, hitting that perfect texture balance.
  • You can make them days ahead and store them in an airtight container, making party prep actually manageable.
02 -
  • Never decorate warm cookies; the icing will slide off and you'll feel frustrated faster than you should.
  • If your icing is too thick, it won't spread; too thin and it runs everywhere—the consistency should feel like thick pudding.
03 -
  • Keep your piping bags upright in a tall glass while you're decorating so you're not switching between colors constantly—it saves frustration and time.
  • If you mess up a cookie's icing, scrape it off while it's still wet and start over; mistakes are part of the process and nobody but you will ever know.
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