In This Article Show
Graduation Cookies are festive sugar cookies shaped like caps, diplomas, stars, or graduation years, decorated with bright royal icing and fun sprinkles to celebrate your graduate’s big moment.
These cookies are perfect for dessert tables, party favors, or as personalized gifts.
Whether you use school colors or a classic black-and-gold theme, they’re a sweet and creative way to honor your grad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for Celebrations: Customizable for any school or graduation year.
- Soft and Buttery: A classic sugar cookie base that holds its shape when baked.
- Fun to Decorate: Great for kids and adults to join in the celebration prep.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare in advance for easy party planning.
- Customizable Designs: Use royal icing and sprinkles in your grad’s favorite colors.
What to Serve with Graduation Cookies
- Milk or Chocolate Milk: A classic cookie pairing everyone loves.
- Lemonade or Sparkling Punch: Refreshing drinks to serve at parties.
- Cake Pops or Cupcakes: Add to a festive dessert table for variety.
- Coffee or Tea: Great for adult guests during the celebration.
- Ice Cream Bar: Pair cookies with scoops of your favorite flavors.
Ingredient Breakdown
Each ingredient plays a key role in making soft, shaped cookies that are perfect for decorating:
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for cut-out shapes.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the cookies.
- Sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps create a smooth surface.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds moisture.
- Vanilla & Almond Extracts: Add warm, bakery-style flavor.
- Baking Powder: Helps keep the cookies slightly tender, not hard.
- Royal Icing: Hardens when dry, perfect for detailed decorations.
Pro Tip Before Starting
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling and cutting shapes—this helps prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven.
Easy Graduation Cookies
Soft sugar cookies shaped like graduation caps and diplomas, decorated with colorful icing and sprinkles for a fun, festive treat.
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Royal Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 4–5 tablespoons water
- Food coloring, as needed
- Sprinkles and edible glitter (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and extracts. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and Cut: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into graduation-themed shapes and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are just starting to brown. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Make the Icing: In a bowl, beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until stiff peaks form. Divide and color icing as desired.
- Decorate: Use piping bags to outline and fill in cookies. Add sprinkles or details before the icing dries. Let set for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Storage: Keep decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw and decorate when ready.
- Flavor Swap: Try lemon or orange extract for a fun twist.
- Theme Ideas: Use black, gold, and silver for a classic graduation palette, or match school colors.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 39mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 2g
Pro Tip After Baking
For cleaner, sharper edges on your cookies, chill the cut shapes in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought icing instead of royal icing?
Yes, but royal icing gives the cleanest, longest-lasting decorations.
Do I need special cookie cutters?
Graduation-themed cookie cutters help, but you can also freehand or use round cutters and decorate to match the theme.
How long does the icing take to dry?
Royal icing typically dries in 4–6 hours but is best left overnight for stacking or packaging.
Wrapping it up
Graduation Cookies are a sweet and festive way to celebrate your graduate’s achievements.
With buttery sugar cookies and bright, cheerful decorations, they’re a hit at any party.
Make a batch to match your celebration’s theme and give your grad a well-earned reason to smile!
