Description
Sweet, dainty, and delightfully nostalgic—Iced Gems are tiny buttery shortbread cookies topped with brightly colored royal icing swirls. These bite-sized treats are as fun to make as they are to eat, perfect for parties, gifting, or just reliving your favorite childhood snack. #icedgems #shortbreadcookies #vintagetreats #royalicing #bakingfun
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shortbread Cookies:
- 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened and cut into ½-inch squares
- 30 g (about 2 generous tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 100 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Icing:
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring (assorted colors)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk and mix until fully incorporated.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold gently until a soft dough forms.
- Roll dough into small balls (about the size of a marble), place them on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten the tops.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Stir in vanilla extract, then divide the icing into separate bowls. Tint each bowl with a few drops of gel food coloring.
- Using a piping bag with a small star or round tip, pipe a dollop of colored icing on top of each cooled cookie.
- Let the icing set completely at room temperature before serving or storing.
Notes
- You can use store-bought royal icing mix if you’re short on time, but homemade gives the best flavor.
- These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Perfect activity for kids—just prep the dough and let them go wild with the colors!
- Use pasteurized egg whites if you’re concerned about raw eggs in the icing.
- The icing sets best in a cool, dry environment—avoid humid kitchens when possible.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 cookies
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg