Just in time for spring, you can make a gorgeous giant plate-sized flower made of sugar cookies. Check out how we painted a Purple Flower made of Sugar Cookies! This post contains affiliate links.
This is a recipe that bigger kids will enjoy doing with you. You’ll need to be delicate when painting the cookies so you don’t damage the icing already on the cookie pieces.
Table of Contents
What do you need to make Painted Purple Flower Sugar Cookies?
You’ll need the basic ingredients to make sugar cookies from scratch OR you can use ready made refrigerated sugar cookie dough and skip that entire step.
For the icing, you’ll need powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup as well as the food coloring color of your choice. We chose purple.
For the icing, you’ll also need a pastry/piping bag. I just got this set of pastry piping bags and they work great. I love the little ties to easily close off the piping bags.
For the “paint,” you’ll need a food safe paint brush. You’ll also use more food coloring as well as almond extract or clear vanilla extract. You will need extract (or possibly vodka) and not just water for the painting.
You’ll also need non-pareils (round sprinkles) to cover the center cookie of your flower.
How do you make Painted Purple Flower Sugar Cookies?
Make the cookie dough and chill it for at least an hour (or use refrigerated sugar cookie dough).
When the dough is ready, after refrigerating for at least an hour, you’ll want to roll it out onto a floured surface to just 1/8 inch thick – very thin.
Then, you’ll start in the middle and cut out a circle for the flower center with a circular cookie cutter. Then, you’ll want to go in a circle around the center and cut out the petals with a petal-shaped cookie cutter.
For a 2 to 2.5 inch cookie cutter, you’ll most likely need about 10 petals. For the 3-inch size, you’ll most likely need about 12 petals cut.
Now it’s time to bake until they’re just golden brown.
How do you make the Lavender Icing for the Flower Sugar Cookies?
Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup and mix until smooth and creamy. Then, you’ll add a tiny bit of food coloring at a time until it’s just the right color. We went with lavender to be lighter than the purple painting. But, I think any pastel color would be nice — pink, light blue, or even keeping it white.
TIP – If you want to create a nice piped edge around each cookie, separate 2 heaping tablespoons of icing and add an additional tablespoon of powdered sugar to make a thicker icing.
Scoop this icing into a piping bag with a very small hole cut at the bottom. Then, pipe the edge around the center cookie and each petal. Then let it dry just a bit before adding rest of the icing. Tis prevents it from dripping over the edges of the cookies.
Spread the icing on all the cookie petals after adding the piped edging.
Then, add the icing to the center cookie and quickly sprinkle the non-pareils on it before the icing sets.
How do you paint the flower cookies?
Before painting the cookies, make sure to allow the icing to set.
In a small dish combine the food coloring and a drop of almond extract. Then, mix it together and dip your food-safe paintbrush and start painting the cookies.
Be gentle as you paint so you don’t break the icing. This is why this is a great craft to do with bigger kids, tweens, and teens.
Allow the “paint” to dry.
What can you use as a substitute for the almond extract?
- You can use clear vanilla extract instead of the almond extract.
- You can also use vodka, but I’m not sure what the paint will look like with vodka as I haven’t used it.
- DO NOT USE WATER. It’s too wet and won’t dry on the cookies.
More Fun Cookie Ideas
Purple Painted Flower Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup flour
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Icing Ingredients:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 4 teaspoons milk
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- almond extract
- purple food coloring
- white non-pareils
Instructions
Sugar Cookie Dough
- Cream together confectioners sugar, butter, vanilla, almond, and egg.
- Blend in flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda until thoroughly combined.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Roll dough on floured surface to about 1/8” thick.
- Center the round cookie cutter on your rolled dough and continue to place the large petal cutter around the circle to get the correct number of petals cut out.
- Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or just golden.
Cookie Icing
- To prepare the icing, combine powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup until smooth and creamy.
- Add food coloring a little at a time for desired color tint.
- To create a nice piped edge on the cookie, separate 2 heaping tablespoon of icing into a small bowl and add additional 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. This will create a thicker icing.
- Scoop this icing into a piping bag. Cut a small hole in the bottom.
- Pipe the edge around the center cookie and each petal. This will prevent the colored icing from pooling and dripping over the edge.
- Spread icing on all the cookie petals.
- For the center of the cookie, spread the icing all around the center. Then, quickly sprinkle white non-pareils on asap before the icing sets.
Painting the Cookies
- Allow the icing to set.
- In a small dish combine food coloring and a drop of almond extract.
- Mix together and dip your paintbrush in and apply “paint” to the cookies.
- Be gentle as to not break the icing.
- Allow to dry.
Notes
You can substitute clear vanilla extract for almond.
Keep checking the food coloring and extract mixture as it will need to be replenished.
Don't use water in place of extract, it is far too wet and won't dry on the cookie.