Description
These Marbled Sugar Cookies feature a tender cream cheese sugar cookie base combined with beautiful marbled royal icing, creating a perfect balance of soft, flavorful cookie and stunning decorative finish. The dough is chilled and rolled to ensure shape retention, while the colorful marbled glaze adds an artistic touch making these cookies ideal for special occasions or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- 1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
- 1 tsp almond extract – optional (5g)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
Marbled Royal Icing (adapted from Wilton)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (375g)
- 3 Tbsp meringue powder (30g)
- 1/4 cup water, room temperature (60g)
- 2 tsp vanilla or almond extract (8g)
- Additional water to bring to flooding consistency (approximately 3 Tbsp)
- Gel food coloring (various shades for marbling)
Instructions
- Prepare the cookie dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and mix on medium-high until the mixture lightens in color, about 2 minutes. Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste), and almond extract if using, mixing on medium speed until evenly combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to ensure an even distribution of leavening and seasoning.
- Mix dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet butter mixture in two parts, mixing on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure even mixing. The dough will be sticky.
- Chill dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes. This resting firms the dough for easier rolling and better shape retention when baking.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Roll and cut cookies: Remove one chilled dough portion, unwrap, and place plastic wrap beneath. Lightly flour both sides of the dough and the rolling pin, then roll the dough to about 1/3 inch thickness. Use a floured cookie cutter to cut shapes, brushing off excess flour with a kitchen brush. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Chill cut-out cookies: Chill cut cookies in refrigerator for 15 minutes (or freezer for 5 minutes) to help them maintain shape while baking.
- Bake cookies: Bake one sheet at a time on the top oven rack for 10-12 minutes, watching closely to prevent browning edges. The baking time might vary depending on cookie size and thickness.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, knead leftover dough scraps together, rewrap, and refrigerate to reuse.
- Repeat rolling and baking: Repeat the rolling, chilling, and baking steps with the second dough portion and the leftover scraps until all dough is used.
- Prepare royal icing: Whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl or mixer bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and vanilla or almond extract. Mix initially on low speed to incorporate, then increase to medium speed and beat until stiff peaks form, approximately 4 minutes.
- Adjust icing consistency: Add water 1 Tbsp at a time (approx. 3 Tbsp total) until the icing reaches flooding consistency, verified by the Figure 8 test where the icing trail disappears in about 8 seconds.
- Prevent crusting: Cover the bowl of royal icing with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent crust formation while decorating.
- Color and prepare icing for marbling: Divide 2/3 cup of the royal icing into separate bowls. Tint each portion using gel food coloring to create 3 different shades of the same color family (e.g., lime green, leaf green, moss green). Transfer each color to small piping bags, sealing tops with rubber bands.
- Marble the glaze: Pour the uncolored royal icing into a smaller bowl for dipping. Cut about 1/4 inch off the piping bag tips containing colored icing. Drizzle colored icings onto the plain icing, then use a toothpick or scribe tool to drag through the colors creating swirled patterns for a marbled effect.
- Dip and decorate cookies: Dip each cooled cookie into the marbled glaze completely, shake off excess icing, flip cookie onto cooling rack, then drizzle additional colored icing patterns over the top for enhanced marbling. Wipe fingers as needed due to sticky glaze.
- Dry cookies: Allow decorated cookies to dry uncovered for about 1 hour or until completely firm to the touch.
- Store: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days for best freshness.
Notes
- The dough can be frozen before rolling for convenience; thaw in fridge overnight before use.
- Using plastic wrap beneath the dough while rolling helps with easy cleanup and prevents sticking.
- Chilling cut-out cookies before baking helps maintain sharp edges and prevents spreading.
- Adjust water in royal icing gradually to reach perfect flooding consistency; too thin icing won’t hold details, too thick won’t spread evenly.
- Cover icing with plastic wrap directly on surface to avoid crusting during decorating process.
- Gel food coloring is preferred for royal icing as it does not alter consistency.
- Watch baking time closely as cookies can become too brown quickly if left too long.
- Cookies store best in airtight containers to maintain softness and prevent icing from cracking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
