Easy Graduation Cap Cookies (Print View)

Crisp buttery cookies decorated with smooth royal icing in classic graduation cap shapes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cookies

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 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

08 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 large egg whites
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Black gel food coloring
12 - Yellow gel food coloring

→ Decoration

13 - Mini yellow candy pearls or M&Ms for tassels
14 - Small piping bags with round tips
15 - Toothpicks

# How To Make It:

01 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined. Gradually incorporate flour mixture, stirring until dough forms. Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using a graduation cap or square cookie cutter. Place cut cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
03 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are just golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheets before decorating.
04 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar while beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, approximately 5 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract. Divide icing into portions: tint majority black and smaller portion yellow using gel food coloring. Adjust consistency by adding water by the teaspoon for flooding and additional powdered sugar for piping.
05 - Outline each cooled cookie with black royal icing using a piping bag. Flood the interior of each outlined cookie with black icing, using a toothpick to spread evenly to all edges. Allow to set for 30-60 minutes until completely firm.
06 - Using yellow royal icing in a piping bag with a small round tip, pipe a tassel and button on top of each graduated cap design. Place a mini candy pearl or M&M at the end of each tassel. Allow cookies to dry completely before serving or packaging, several hours or overnight.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • These cookies are stunning enough to impress but simple enough that even your shaky hands won't ruin them.
  • The buttery, crisp dough is addictive on its own, and the royal icing stays glossy without tasting overly sweet.
  • You can bake them days ahead and decorate whenever you want, which makes them perfect for busy graduation season.
02 -
  • Don't skip sifting the powdered sugar because lumps create grainy icing that looks bumpy and unprofessional no matter how perfectly you pipe.
  • The consistency of royal icing is everything: thinner for flooding, thicker for piping, so keep water and extra sugar nearby to adjust as you work.
  • Bake your cookies two days ahead if possible because decorating fresh cookies is frustrating, but cookies that have sat for a day or two accept icing more smoothly.
03 -
  • If your royal icing is too thick to pipe, add water one tiny teaspoon at a time; if it's too thin, beat in more powdered sugar bit by bit until it holds a peak.
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid because it won't dilute your icing and the colors will be vibrant enough that your caps actually look impressive.
  • Invest in small piping bags and a fine round tip because the tassel details are what transform these from okay cookies into show-stopping ones.
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