Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies

These delightful Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies are pretty enough to decorate your Easter table, and tasty, too! Use them as place setting decor or package them for take-home favors.

Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies

I’ve been busy planning our Easter dinner menu and collecting little spring accents to decorate my table. I like to make decorated sugar cookies for all occasions, because they can serve double duty as table décor and a tasty treat for guests. These Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies are just the thing!

This recipe begins with my tried-and-true simple sugar cookie recipe from the Sprinkle Bakes book, and you’ll need 5-inch rabbit and egg-shaped cookie cutters. Chances are very good that you can find these right now in the baking aisle at your local craft store.

Trade secret.

Here’s one of my best tips for creating perfectly flat sugar cookies for decorating: As soon as the cookies are baked and removed from the oven, use a fondant smoother to gently press the surfaces completely flat. The cookies will not rise much because they contain no chemical leaven, but occasionally have a bubble or puffy area that needs smoothing. Smoothing the cookies provides the best even surface so flood royal icing stays put! That means less chance of the icing overflowing the edges.

Printed Wafer Paper

I used some beautiful watercolor print wafer paper on these cookies from an Etsy seller. The seller’s shop I purchased from is now closed (sad face). But you can find a wide variety on Etsy. (I particularly like this one.) Use the same cookie cutters used for the dough as a template to cut out the wafer paper with an X-acto knife. After the royal icing has completely dried on the cookies, cover each with a light layer of piping gel. Then place the corresponding shaped wafer paper on top. Turn the cookies upside down to dry completely, so the wafer paper lies perfectly flat.

Add some sparkle.

Use gold luster dust mixed with vodka to create a gold paint to finish the edges. I used the flat edge of a small art brush to swipe a line of paint onto the wafer paper edge, which created an almost cloisonné effect.

Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies

Further thin the luster dust paint with drops of vodka. And use a larger brush to create gold paint spatter. To achieve this effect, dip the brush in the paint and fling it downward in a hard throwing motion. You’ll need some space to do this. And make sure your table is well protected from wayward paint splashes!

Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies

It won’t take too long for the paint to set if the cookies are placed, uncovered, in a cool dry area. I think I waited about 30 minutes before handling them.

Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies

These make such delightful little gifts. I flavored the royal icing on these with my current obsessionbergamot flavor (found in this set). It gives these cookies a citrusy flavor reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. They are just as delicious as they are pretty, and the wafer paper has no discernible flavor. It melds with the royal icing and just tastes sweet.

I’ll be placing these on my table along with some cute grassy place card holders that I made, which you can find the tutorial for on our craft blog Confetti Fix. 

Happy (almost) Easter! xo

Floral Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies

Heather Baird
These cute watercolor-inspired Bunny and Egg Sugar Cookies are one part edible treat, one part table decor! Display them as favors at each place setting for a special touch at Easter dinner.
You’ll need 5-inch bunny and egg cookie cutters for this project, along with some floral print wafer paper. See blog post for resources.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Ingredients
 
 

Sugar cookie dough

  • 1/2 lb. unsalted butter
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt

Royal Icing and décors

  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/2 cup warm water plus additional for thinning
  • 1 teaspoon bergamot flavoring or lemon extract
  • Piping gel or corn syrup
  • 4 large sheets floral print wafer paper
  • Gold luster dust I used pharaoh’s gold
  • Vodka

Instructions
 

Sugar Cookies

  • In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until just incorporated. Do not over-mix at this stage, or the cookies may spread while baking.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix again on low speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl intermittently as needed.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix on low speed until a dough is formed and there are no longer any streaks of butter in the mixing bowl. The dough will often clump around the paddle attachment while being mixed. This is normal and a good sign that your dough is the right consistency. If your mixture does not come together and is crumbly, add ice cold water 1 tbsp. at a time until the dough clumps. Roll the dough flat between sheets of parchment paper and chill until ready for use, at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Use a 5 inch cutter to stamp shapes from the dough and transfer them to the prepared pans. Chill the shapes in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown on the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Royal Icing and Decors

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, stir the confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder on low speed until combined.
  • Add the water and beat on medium-high speed until thickened. Mix in the flavoring. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. Mix in drops of water until the icing thins to flood consistency (It should be thick and pourable like a milkshake. Run a spatula through the icing to check; the indention should disappear by the count of 10.) Use the icing immediately or drape a damp tea towel over the mixing bowl or bowls to prevent the icing from drying out.
  • Using a disposable piping bag or a zip-top bag with a tiny hole snipped in the end, pipe a line of frosting around the outer edge of the cookies. Let stand for 1 minute. Flood the inside of the shape with more icing until completely covered and smooth. Let stand until dry, about 4 hours or overnight.
  • Use the same cookie cutters used for the dough as a template to cut out the wafer paper with an X-acto knife. After the royal icing has completely dried on the cookies, brush each with a light layer of piping gel, and then place the corresponding shaped wafer paper on top. Turn the cookies upside down to dry completely, so the wafer paper lies perfectly flat.
  • Mix gold luster dust with drops of vodka to create a medium-bodied gold paint. Paint it around the cookie edges to finish. Use the flat edge of a small art brush to swipe a line of paint onto the wafer paper edge also.
  • Slightly thin the paint with drops of vodka, and then use a large brush dipped in the thinned paint to spatter the cookies with gold. Use a hard downward throwing motion to achieve a nice line of paint spatter. Allow the cookies to dry for 30 minutes to one hour, or until the gold paint is dry to the touch. Package in cellophane bags and arrange in an Easter basket for after dinner take-away favors, or use as table decorations at each place setting.

Notes

Note: Not all meringue powder is the same. Be sure to read the directions on the back of the meringue powder container for suggested amounts.
Keyword easter cookies, luster dust, printed wafer paper, sugar cookies
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jlryan
jlryan
4 years ago

Is the flavoring for the Royal Icing an oil? Oil and Royal Icing is a no-no, correct??

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
4 years ago
Reply to  jlryan

That's a very good point. The brand I used is Bakto, which has is labeled 'natural flavor' and oil is listed among other ingredients. My royal icing set fine, but I'm going to change the text to 'bergamot flavor' so no one experiences a baking fail. Thank you.

Unknown
Unknown
4 years ago

OMG!!! You're such a genius! I just love seeing all your beautiful creations. I bought your book.

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
4 years ago
Reply to  Unknown

Thank you so much! I hope you love the book! xo

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
4 years ago

Naive me, I thought you hand-painted each cookie! I was wondering where you'd find the time!
Thanks so much for teaching us how to recreate your beautiful cookies.
Happy Easter! xoxo

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
4 years ago
Reply to  Colette (Coco)

They really do have that hand-painted look! But I like that this technique with wafer paper is accessible to most every skill set. Happy Easter! xoxo

mjny
mjny
4 years ago

Wowzers! Those are Beautiful.

Donna Sue
Donna Sue
4 years ago

These are gorgeous. I would have never known that was wafer paper and not hand-painted.

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

These are absolutely precious! Such talent! You inspire.

Sara Snyder
Sara Snyder
4 years ago

Hi Heather! I'd like to make these for Mother's Day, though in a different shape. I had a question before I order the wafer paper–how many sheets did you end up using for 2 dozen, 5" cookies? I'll factor in my own learning curve/mistakes 🙂 Thank you again for a beautiful giftable recipe!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
4 years ago
Reply to  Sara Snyder

Hi Sara! I used four 8×10 sheets, which was cutting it very close (literally!). I pieced a few scraps of paper together (overlapping, and adhering with piping gel) to finish the last two cookies. If your cookies are 5-inches square, then you'll need much more than 4 sheets, but if the shapes are irregular like the bunny cookies, then you may get away with four sheets. I also recommend changing the blade on your craft knife after cutting 4 shapes. It's less likely to drag through and tear the paper as you cut. I hope this helps!

Scarlet of Family Focus Blog
Scarlet of Family Focus Blog
4 years ago

Beautiful, work of art cookies!

brit m.
brit m.
3 years ago

I tried this with frosting sheets, and I can't get them to dissolve. They adhere, but when you bite it, the paper still has a paper shape and just lifts off. Is the wafer paper different? Am I doing something wrong?

Stacy SNYDER
Stacy SNYDER
11 months ago

Heather,
I am planning to create these cookies this Easter (six days away). How early can I finish these wtih the sugar paper on them? Thanks! People are going to be AMAZED….these are so lovely.