Easy Cross Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing (Perfect for Easter or Baptisms!)
These cross sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and perfectly sweet with just a hint of almond and vanilla. They’re the kind of cookie that looks beautiful on a dessert table and tastes even better than they look. Whether you’re baking for Easter, a baptism, first communion, or just want something meaningful and delicious, these cookies deliver every time.
Cross Sugar Cookies
What makes these cookies extra special is how simple the dough is to work with—no chilling required! They roll out smoothly, hold their shape beautifully when baked, and make the perfect base for royal icing or edible flower decorations. If you’re planning a full Easter dessert lineup, you’ll definitely want to check out my Peanut Butter Eggs, Easter Dirt Pudding Cups, and strawberry bread too. They all play really well together on a springtime sweets table!
Once baked, you can go as simple or as fancy as you want with decorating. I love using royal icing and topping with dried edible flowers for a soft, elegant finish—but sprinkles, pastel piping, or gold leaf would all be gorgeous too. These are the kinds of cookies that not only taste like they came from a bakery, but look like it too.
What You Will Love About This Recipe
No chill dough – Go straight from mixing to rolling without any downtime.
Holds shape beautifully – Great for shaped cookie cutters like crosses, hearts, or flowers.
Light almond flavor – That touch of almond extract really elevates the flavor without overpowering.
Perfect for special occasions – Ideal for Easter, baptisms, baby showers, and church events.
Decorate your way – Use royal icing, edible flowers, or keep it simple with a dusting of sugar.
How to make Cross Sugar Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, blend the butter and sugar until creamy and light. Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined. The dough will be a little crumbly.
4. Turn out the dough onto a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar or flour. Press into a ball and then roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Use a cross-shaped cookie cutter to cut each cookie. Carefully lift shaped cookies to the baking sheet. Using a flat spatula is recommended to help the cookies maintain their shape.
5. Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Do not brown the cookies. Allow cookies to cool for at least 20 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully removing them to a cooling rack.
6. After cooling, decorate with royal icing. While the icing is still wet, press the decorations into the cookies.
7. Allow icing to dry before storing in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper.
Tips & Tricks
- Use powdered sugar to roll out the dough instead of flour for a smoother, sweeter finish.
- Don’t overbake! These cookies should be set but not browned—7 to 9 minutes is usually perfect.
- Almond extract makes a difference – You can skip it, but it really adds that classic sugar cookie flavor.
- Use a flat spatula to lift cookies after cutting so they hold their shape.
- Let cookies cool completely before icing—royal icing will run or crack if the cookies are even a little warm.
FAQs
Cross Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (2 sticks) cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar or flour, for rolling
- For decorating:
- Royal icing
- Edible flowers
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, blend the butter and sugar until creamy and light. Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined. The dough will be a little crumbly.
Turn out the dough onto a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar or flour. Press into a ball and then roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Use a cross-shaped cookie cutter to cut each cookie. Carefully lift shaped cookies to the baking sheet. Using a flat spatula is recommended to help the cookies maintain their shape.
Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Do not brown the cookies. Allow cookies to cool for at least 20 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully removing them to a cooling rack.
After cooling, decorate with royal icing. While the icing is still wet, press the decorations into the cookies.
Allow icing to dry before storing in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper.
I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!
