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Perfect Graduation Sugar Cookies Recipe Easy Royal Icing Diploma Designs

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These sugar cookies feature crisp edges and soft centers, decorated with perfectly piped royal icing diploma designs, ideal for graduation celebrations and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk (or any dairy-free milk for vegan option)
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5–6 tablespoons water (adjust for desired consistency)
  • Food coloring gel (black and gold recommended)
  • Optional: edible gold glitter or dust for decoration

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with milk. Mix on low speed just until combined; do not overmix.
  5. Divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness. Use diploma-shaped cookie cutters or cut rectangles about 3 x 1 ½ inches (7.5 x 4 cm).
  8. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. If dough softens, chill for 10 minutes before baking.
  9. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are just golden. Cookies will be soft but firm up as they cool.
  10. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely before decorating.
  11. Prepare royal icing by combining powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat on high for 7-10 minutes until stiff peaks form. Adjust water for desired consistency.
  12. Divide icing into small bowls and color with gel food coloring as desired.
  13. Outline each cookie with thicker icing, then flood the center with thinned icing. Use a toothpick to spread evenly.
  14. After base layer dries about 15 minutes, pipe diploma lines, ribbons, and text details. Let cookies dry fully overnight to set icing.

Notes

Chill dough for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading and make rolling easier. Use room temperature eggs and butter for best texture. Practice piping on parchment paper before decorating cookies. Let royal icing dry fully overnight in a cool, dry place for best results. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft in the center. Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: graduation cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, diploma cookies, easy sugar cookies, party cookies, celebration cookies

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