martha-preparing-easter-egg-sugar-cookies-9520-f9d4fe19 Credit: Marcus Nilsson
Every Easter I host an egg hunt at my farm. I have been doing this for five decades, if you can believe it. The tradition started at Turkey Hill, my former home in Westport, Connecticut, once my daughter, Alexis, was old enough to search for hidden eggs in the gardens surrounding our old farmhouse. Later, we held it for my nieces and nephews, and then for the young children of my neighbors and colleagues. The celebration was reinvigorated when my grandchildren, Jude and Truman, were born eight and seven years ago, respectively; we now host a large buffet brunch as well. Last year, we dyed 288 eggs, or 24 dozen, to hide outside. And for two nights, I rolled, cut, baked, and decorated scores of Easter-themed sugar cookies for the party. RELATED: DELICIOUS SIDE DISHES FOR YOUR EASTER DINNER colorful frosted spring themed and easter egg sugar cookies Credit: Marcus Nilsson Over time, I’ve developed a foolproof sugar cookie recipe: The dough rolls out evenly and holds its shape without bubbling during baking. (I think the cookies actually taste better a few days later, so I always stash a few away to savor after the holiday.) I used to joke that it pained me to watch them being devoured in less than 30 seconds when each one had taken 10 minutes or more to decorate; I was determined to figure out a more streamlined decorating technique that looked inviting but took only a fraction of that time. Get Martha’s Easter Sugar Cookie Recipe My new method is to dip each cookie in royal icing flavored with a bit of fresh lemon juice, let the excess drip off, and embellish with polka dots and other simple patterns-that’s it! Last year, not a single cookie remained after the party. I can’t wait to whip up a new batch. frosted chickens and easter egg sugar cookies on marble countertop Credit: Marcus Nilsson Super Natural Colors When I was creating the palette for my cookies, I knew just where to look: my chickens’ eggs. Use the formulas below for every 1 cup of royal icing. Blue: 1 1/2 drops Royal Blue + 1/2 drop Leaf Green + 1 drop Ivory Brown: 3 drops Buckeye Brown + 1 drop Golden Yellow Green: 1 drop Leaf Green + 1 drop Avocado + 1 drop Ivory Beige: 2 drops Copper (not metallic) Golden Yellow (not shown): 2 drops Golden Yellow All gel-paste colors listed are from AmeriColor, except Buckeye Brown and Golden Yellow, which are from Chefmaster. They are available from New York Cake, as are various Easter–themed cookie cutters. Tinting Tricks For a more accurate “drop” of gel-paste color, dip the tip of a toothpick into the bottle and stir it into the icing. If you put in too much color, dilute it by stirring in more plain royal icing, or adding Chefmaster liquid-whitener gel paste, one small squeeze at a time. Watch Martha make her beautiful Easter cookies on Frosted, our Instagram TV video series, below!
martha-preparing-easter-egg-sugar-cookies-9520-f9d4fe19 Credit: Marcus Nilsson
martha-preparing-easter-egg-sugar-cookies-9520-f9d4fe19 Credit: Marcus Nilsson
martha-preparing-easter-egg-sugar-cookies-9520-f9d4fe19
Credit: Marcus Nilsson
Every Easter I host an egg hunt at my farm. I have been doing this for five decades, if you can believe it. The tradition started at Turkey Hill, my former home in Westport, Connecticut, once my daughter, Alexis, was old enough to search for hidden eggs in the gardens surrounding our old farmhouse. Later, we held it for my nieces and nephews, and then for the young children of my neighbors and colleagues. The celebration was reinvigorated when my grandchildren, Jude and Truman, were born eight and seven years ago, respectively; we now host a large buffet brunch as well. Last year, we dyed 288 eggs, or 24 dozen, to hide outside. And for two nights, I rolled, cut, baked, and decorated scores of Easter-themed sugar cookies for the party.
RELATED: DELICIOUS SIDE DISHES FOR YOUR EASTER DINNER
colorful frosted spring themed and easter egg sugar cookies Credit: Marcus Nilsson
Over time, I’ve developed a foolproof sugar cookie recipe: The dough rolls out evenly and holds its shape without bubbling during baking. (I think the cookies actually taste better a few days later, so I always stash a few away to savor after the holiday.) I used to joke that it pained me to watch them being devoured in less than 30 seconds when each one had taken 10 minutes or more to decorate; I was determined to figure out a more streamlined decorating technique that looked inviting but took only a fraction of that time.
Get Martha’s Easter Sugar Cookie Recipe
My new method is to dip each cookie in royal icing flavored with a bit of fresh lemon juice, let the excess drip off, and embellish with polka dots and other simple patterns-that’s it! Last year, not a single cookie remained after the party. I can’t wait to whip up a new batch.
frosted chickens and easter egg sugar cookies on marble countertop Credit: Marcus Nilsson
Super Natural Colors
When I was creating the palette for my cookies, I knew just where to look: my chickens’ eggs. Use the formulas below for every 1 cup of royal icing.
Blue: 1 1/2 drops Royal Blue + 1/2 drop Leaf Green + 1 drop Ivory
Brown: 3 drops Buckeye Brown + 1 drop Golden Yellow
Green: 1 drop Leaf Green + 1 drop Avocado + 1 drop Ivory
Beige: 2 drops Copper (not metallic)
Golden Yellow (not shown): 2 drops Golden Yellow
All gel-paste colors listed are from AmeriColor, except Buckeye Brown and Golden Yellow, which are from Chefmaster. They are available from New York Cake, as are various Easter–themed cookie cutters.
Tinting Tricks
For a more accurate “drop” of gel-paste color, dip the tip of a toothpick into the bottle and stir it into the icing. If you put in too much color, dilute it by stirring in more plain royal icing, or adding Chefmaster liquid-whitener gel paste, one small squeeze at a time.
Watch Martha make her beautiful Easter cookies on Frosted, our Instagram TV video series, below!
colorful frosted spring themed and easter egg sugar cookies Credit: Marcus Nilsson
colorful frosted spring themed and easter egg sugar cookies
frosted chickens and easter egg sugar cookies on marble countertop Credit: Marcus Nilsson
frosted chickens and easter egg sugar cookies on marble countertop
