Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and start by lining 2 to 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder. This mixture will be your dry ingredients and is crucial for achieving just the right texture.
In another medium bowl, beat together ½ cup of softened unsalted butter and ⅔ cup of granulated sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the mixture, making your cookies tender.
Add 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and 1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined.
Now, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just barely combined. You want to avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
This recipe does not require any chilling time, so you’re ready to roll out your cookies! Divide the dough into 2 to 3 pieces, rolling each piece on a lightly floured surface until it’s about ¼ inch thick.
Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough. I love using Easter egg shapes, but feel free to get creative!
Press the scraps together and let them rest for about 5 minutes before rerolling and cutting more cookies until all the dough is used up.
Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets, ensuring there’s about 1 ½ inches of space between each one. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking.
The edges should be just set, and the cookies will be very light in color. Let them cool on the pan for 2 minutes to set the shape before transferring them to a cooling rack.
While the cookies are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a bowl, mix together 4 cups of powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of meringue powder on low. Gradually add 9 tablespoons of water and mix on high speed for about 2 minutes until it’s stiff.
Reserve 1 cup of frosting and cover tightly. With the remaining icing, add more water until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream for flooding the cookies. Divide it into small bowls and tint with your chosen gel food colors.
Once the cookies are cool, frost them using the thicker icing to outline and then flood the centers with the thinned icing. Decorate with additional designs as desired!
