Pisces Constellation Sugar (Printer-Friendly)

Sweet sugar cookies shaped and decorated with royal icing to showcase the Pisces constellation's elegant design.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

08 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
10 - 3 to 4 tablespoons water
11 - Gel food coloring (navy blue, white, gold, or silver)

→ Decoration

12 - Edible gold or silver pearls
13 - Piping bags with fine tips

# Method:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Beat egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into circles or desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 3 tablespoons water until stiff peaks form. Add additional water gradually for thinner consistency if needed.
10 - Divide icing into portions. Tint a portion navy blue for the night sky background. Reserve white icing for piping constellation details.
11 - Apply blue icing to cooled cookies using a piping bag or spatula. Allow to set for 15 minutes.
12 - Using white icing and a fine piping tip, pipe Pisces constellation lines and dots representing stars on the blue base.
13 - While icing is still wet, place edible gold or silver pearls at star points. Add additional gold or silver accents as desired.
14 - Allow cookies to dry completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • These cookies taste buttery and classic while looking like edible artwork—the kind of thing that makes people pause before eating them.
  • Decorating with the constellation is oddly meditative, like a creative escape that doubles as a delicious treat.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable—cold butter won't cream properly, and a cold egg will break your emulsion and give you a lumpy, greasy dough.
  • Don't skip the icing set time between the blue base coat and white piping; wet icing under wet icing creates muddy colors and lost detail.
03 -
  • A turntable isn't required, but rotating your cookie while piping keeps the constellation lines smooth and consistent from every angle.
  • Store these in an airtight container with parchment between layers—royal icing hardens to almost glass-like durability, so they travel beautifully and last for days without losing their crisp appearance.
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