Easy Graduation Cap Cookies (Printable)

Crisp, buttery cookies shaped like graduation caps, decorated with smooth royal icing and colorful accents.

# Ingredient list:

→ Cookies

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.75 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 or 4 tablespoons meringue powder with 6 tablespoons water
10 - 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Black gel food coloring
12 - Yellow gel food coloring

→ Decoration

13 - Mini yellow M&Ms or candy pearls for tassels

# Cooking steps:

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 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Gradually incorporate flour mixture, stirring until dough forms.
02 - Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 0.25 inch thickness. Cut shapes using a graduation cap or square cookie cutter. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets.
04 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on baking sheets.
05 - In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites or meringue powder mixture until foamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, approximately 5 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract.
06 - Divide icing into portions. Tint the majority black and a smaller portion yellow using gel food coloring. Adjust consistency by adding water by the teaspoon for flooding applications or additional sugar for piping applications.
07 - Outline and flood each cookie with black royal icing, using a toothpick to spread toward edges. Allow to set for 30 to 60 minutes. Pipe yellow tassels and buttons on each cap using yellow royal icing. Place mini M&Ms or candy pearls at tassel ends. Allow cookies to dry completely for several hours or overnight before serving or packaging.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • They look like you spent hours decorating when really you've just mastered a pretty forgiving technique.
  • The butter cookie base is genuinely delicious, crispy on the edges and tender in the middle, so people will eat them for the taste, not just the presentation.
  • You can bake them days ahead and decorate whenever you want, which takes the pressure off if life gets hectic before the big day.
02 -
  • The consistency of royal icing makes or breaks this project, so taste it and adjust before you start decorating because you can't really fix it once you're halfway through the cookies.
  • Trying to decorate warm cookies is an exercise in frustration; cold cookies take icing like a dream, so really do wait until everything is completely cool.
03 -
  • Keep your piping bags fitted with small round tips and filled only halfway, so you have better control and the icing doesn't squeeze out everywhere when you're trying to pipe details.
  • If your royal icing is looking dull or grainy, add just a tiny bit more water or egg white and beat it again until it becomes glossy and smooth, which usually means you've incorporated more air.
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