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Perfect Royal Icing Turkey Cookies Easy Fall Recipe

royal icing turkey cookies - featured image
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These autumn royal icing turkey sugar cookies are fun to make and feature a foolproof royal icing technique that creates dimension with layered feathers. Perfect for Thanksgiving parties, classroom treats, or cozy fall baking sessions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5–6 tablespoons warm water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Gel food coloring in autumn shades (deep orange, rust red, golden yellow, warm brown, white)
  • Candy corn (optional, for beaks)
  • Small black edible eyes

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides halfway through.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled; that’s normal.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
  4. Chill the dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out turkey shapes and place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps once only.
  7. Chill again: Place cut cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
  8. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Edges should be just barely golden. Centers will look slightly underdone.
  9. Cool completely: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Make the royal icing: In a clean mixer bowl, whisk together sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. With mixer on low, add 4 tablespoons warm water. Beat until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for 5 minutes. Icing should be thick and glossy.
  11. Check consistency: Lift the beater; icing should fall in a ribbon that disappears back into the surface within 10 seconds. Adjust with water or powdered sugar as needed.
  12. Divide and color: Separate icing into bowls for each color. Use gel food coloring sparingly. Cover bowls with damp paper towels.
  13. Adjust for flooding: For base coat, thin a portion of each color with a few drops of water until it flows like honey.
  14. Outline the body: Using stiff consistency white icing with a #2 tip, outline the turkey body. Let dry for 10 minutes.
  15. Flood the body: Fill outlined area with thinned white icing, using a toothpick to guide it into corners. Let dry completely, about 1 hour.
  16. Pipe the feathers: Using stiff icing in autumn colors with a #3 tip, pipe feather shapes in layers. Start with darkest color (brown), let dry 15 minutes, then add next layer (rust, then orange, then golden yellow on top).
  17. Add details: Pipe a small orange beak using stiff icing and a #2 tip. Attach candy corn if using. Add edible eyes with a dot of icing as glue.
  18. Let dry completely: Allow decorated cookies to dry uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight until icing is hard to the touch.

Notes

Icing consistency is key: drag a knife through the icing; the line should disappear in about 8 seconds. Work in a cool, dry room. Don’t rush drying between layers; use a fan on low to speed up. Keep piping bags covered with a damp paper towel inside a sealed plastic bag. Pipe darkest colors first and work toward lightest. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with ¼ tsp xanthan gum. For vegan, use vegan butter sticks, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce instead of egg, and aquafaba instead of meringue powder.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey cookies, royal icing, fall cookies, Thanksgiving cookies, sugar cookies, decorated cookies, autumn baking

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/perfect-royal-icing-turkey-cookies-easy-fall-recipe/