Description
Create magical Mermaid Tail sugar cookies perfect for under-the-sea themed parties or celebrations. These buttery, soft cookies are decorated with colorful, vibrant buttercream frosting tinted with gel food colorings and adorned with edible shimmer and candy pearls to resemble enchanting mermaid tails.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorations
- Gel food coloring (teal, purple, pink, blue)
- Edible shimmer dust or glitter
- Candy pearls or sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of cookies after baking.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and seasoning.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well until fully incorporated.
- Form cookie dough. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring carefully until a soft, cohesive dough forms, without overmixing.
- Roll and cut dough. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a mermaid tail-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes carefully.
- Bake cookies. Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn a light golden color. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare buttercream frosting. Beat the softened butter until creamy using an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
- Color the frosting. Divide the buttercream into 3 to 4 small bowls. Tint each portion with a different gel food coloring (teal, purple, pink, and blue recommended) until the desired shades are achieved.
- Decorate cookies. Using piping bags fitted with star or petal piping tips, pipe the colored buttercream onto the cooled cookies to create beautiful, scaled mermaid tail designs.
- Add finishing touches. Lightly dust the decorated cookies with edible shimmer dust or glitter to give a magical sparkle. Embellish with candy pearls or sprinkles to complete the under-the-sea mermaid tail look.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming and smooth frosting.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant and intense frosting colors without thinning the buttercream.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating to prevent melting or sliding of frosting.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Customize the decoration by using different piping tips or additional edible decorations like edible pearls or glitter dust for variety.
