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Best Easy Pencil Sugar Cookies for First Day of School

Soft vanilla sugar cookies decorated like classic yellow pencils for a fun and easy back-to-school treat.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 182
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the sugar cookie dough
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the icing and decoration
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 yellow gel food coloring as needed
  • 1 pink gel food coloring as needed
  • 1 black gel food coloring or melted dark chocolate, as needed
  • 1 extra powdered sugar or milk to adjust icing consistency

Equipment

  • 1 mixing bowl medium
  • 1 mixing bowl large
  • 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 rolling pin
  • 2 Baking sheet
  • 1 Parchment paper for lining pans
  • 1 wire rack for cooling
  • 1 knife for shaping pencils if not using a cutter

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms.
  4. Divide the dough into 2 portions, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill for at least 45 minutes.
Cut and bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Roll out 1 portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.
  3. Cut into long pencil shapes with one tapered end and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
  4. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops look dry but not browned.
  5. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate the cookies
  1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk a few drops at a time if needed for a spreadable consistency.
  2. Divide the icing into small bowls. Tint one yellow, one pink, leave one white, and tint a tiny amount black or use melted dark chocolate for the pencil lead tip.
  3. Decorate each cookie with yellow icing on the main body, pink icing at one end for the eraser, white icing at the sharpened tip, and a tiny black point at the very end.
  4. Let the icing set at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before stacking or packaging.

Notes

Chill the dough well for easier shaping and less spreading. If the dough softens while rolling, refrigerate it again for 10 to 15 minutes. Let icing fully set before stacking or gifting.