The Oscars season is here, and while many prepare for red carpet looks, these Academy Award cookies are a fun, festive treat for any awards party. This recipe makes a sturdy, buttery sugar cookie that decorators will love. You can make the dough from scratch as written below or use a sugar cookie mix if you prefer a shortcut. The cookies are easy to cut, bake evenly, and take royal icing beautifully, so they’re ideal for party favors or a dessert table.
Academy Awards Cookies
Cookie Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
Royal Icing
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup powdered sugar (plus extra if needed)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Black and white gel food coloring
Optional tools and supplies: a medium-sized round cookie cutter and gold sparkle gel for decorating.
Cookie Directions
- In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until smooth and not grainy.
- Add all four eggs at once and continue mixing until incorporated.
- Add vanilla and mix briefly to combine.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until fully blended.
- Form the dough into a ball, wrap tightly with cling wrap, and refrigerate for about 6 hours or overnight until firm.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Let the dough sit at room temperature a few minutes to soften slightly for rolling.
- Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin as needed, then roll the dough to the desired thickness and cut with a round cutter.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper and transfer the cut cookies using a metal spatula.
- Bake at 325°F for about 8 minutes, or until edges are set and cookies are baked through.
- Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Icing Directions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, powdered sugar, and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed for about 4 minutes until icing reaches a thick, glossy consistency.
- If the icing is too thin, add an additional ¼ cup powdered sugar at a time until it stiffens.
- Divide the icing into two bowls.
- Tint one portion with black gel food coloring and mix until even. Leave the other portion white (add white gel if you want a brighter white).
- Transfer each color to piping bags fitted with a #5 tip (or a tip of your choice). Twist the top of the bag to push icing toward the tip.
- Flood the cooled cookies with the white icing and let set for about 2 hours, or firm them in the freezer briefly for 5 minutes to speed drying.
- Use the black icing to pipe a rectangular base at the bottom of the cookie to resemble the award stand.
- With gold sparkle gel, draw the silhouette of the Oscar-style statue standing on the black base and add decorative gold dots around the award.
- Allow decorated cookies to dry completely, about 2 hours, before stacking or packaging.
