Cherry Blossom Cookies
These delicate Cherry Blossom Cookies are a beautiful ode to spring, featuring a buttery almond shortbread base and elegant pink and white icing. Perfect for special occasions or a lovely treat, they capture the ephemeral beauty of sakura in every delicious bite.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- For the Icing:
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Pink gel food coloring
- Optional: edible glitter or sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and almond extract until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a small round or flower-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Reroll scraps as needed.
- Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While cookies cool, prepare the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk/water, and optional almond extract until smooth. Add more liquid a teaspoon at a time if needed to reach a pourable but not too thin consistency.
- Divide the icing into two bowls. Leave one bowl white, and add a tiny drop of pink gel food coloring to the other bowl, mixing until you achieve a delicate pink shade.
- Once cookies are completely cool, frost the entire surface of each cookie with the white icing. Let set slightly.
- Using a small piping bag with a very small round tip or a toothpick, carefully create small pink cherry blossom petal designs on top of the white icing. Let the icing set completely (this may take a few hours or overnight).
- Optionally, dust with edible glitter or add a few sprinkles before the icing sets. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
For an extra touch of elegance, use a small, fine-tipped brush to paint delicate cherry blossom branches with a contrasting color of royal icing before adding the pink petals.