Description
These Marbled Sugar Cookies feature a buttery cream cheese dough with a tender, soft texture, topped with a stunning marbled royal icing that creates an elegant and colorful finish. Perfect for special occasions or simply to satisfy your sweet tooth, these cookies combine classic flavors with an artistic presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- 1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
- 1 tsp almond extract – optional (5g)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
Marbled Royal Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar (375g)
- 3 Tbsp meringue powder (30g)
- 1/4 cup water, room temperature (60g)
- 2 tsp vanilla or almond extract (8g)
- Additional water to reach flooding consistency (approximately 3 Tbsp)
- Gel food coloring
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color, about 2 minutes. Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using until well blended.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed just until combined. Scrape the bowl sides as needed. The dough will be sticky at this point.
- Chill the Dough: Divide dough into two halves, flatten each into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before rolling out the dough. Prepare baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Remove one dough portion from the fridge, keeping the other chilled. Unwrap and roll dough on floured plastic wrap to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters, brush off excess flour, and place cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
- Chill Cut-Out Cookies: Refrigerate cut cookies for 15 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes to help maintain shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time on the top oven rack for 10–12 minutes, watching carefully to avoid browning edges. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet 15 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and scraps.
- Prepare Royal Icing: Whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder together in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add water and vanilla extract, mixing on low to combine, then medium speed until stiff peaks form (about 4 minutes). Add additional water 1 Tbsp at a time until a flooding consistency is achieved, tested by the Figure 8 method — the icing should disappear in 8 seconds.
- Prevent Icing Crusting: Cover the royal icing directly with plastic wrap to prevent crusting until ready to use.
- Color the Icing: Divide about 2/3 cup of royal icing per color and tint with gel food coloring to create multiple shades within the same color family. Place each colored icing in small piping bags and seal.
- Create Marbled Effect: Place the remaining uncolored royal icing in a shallow bowl. Drizzle the colored icings over the surface and use a toothpick or scribe to drag lines through the colors forming a marbled pattern.
- Dip and Decorate Cookies: One at a time, dunk cooled cookies into the marbled royal icing, covering the surface. Shake off excess icing and place on a drying rack. Drizzle and swirl more colored icing on top to enhance the marbled effect. Keep the icing bowl covered and remove crust if it forms before continuing to dip more cookies.
- Dry and Store: Allow the dipped cookies to dry for at least 1 hour until firm to the touch. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Ensuring the dough is adequately chilled before rolling helps cookies maintain their shape while baking.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid altering the icing consistency.
- The Figure 8 test is a reliable way to check royal icing consistency for flooding.
- Cookies can be kept at room temperature up to 2 days in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- Almond extract in dough is optional but adds a subtle nutty flavor.
- Be careful not to overbake cookies, as they should remain light in color and tender.
- If icing crusts during use, skim off the top layer before dipping more cookies.
- Using plastic wrap on the rolling surface makes cleanup easier and keeps dough from sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
