Easy Graduation Cap Cookies (Printable)

Crisp, buttery sugar cookies shaped like graduation caps topped with smooth royal icing and colorful details.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the 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 vanilla extract

→ For the Royal Icing

08 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder plus 6 tablespoons water
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Black gel food coloring
12 - Yellow gel food coloring

→ For Decoration

13 - Mini yellow M&Ms or candy pearls for tassels

# How To Make:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Gradually incorporate flour mixture into wet ingredients, stirring until dough forms. Divide dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut cookies using a graduation cap or square cookie cutter. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just golden brown. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
03 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites or meringue powder mixed with water until foamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating continuously until stiff, glossy peaks form, approximately 5 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract. Divide icing into two portions: tint the larger portion black and the smaller portion yellow using gel food coloring. Adjust consistency by adding water by the teaspoon for flooding technique or additional powdered sugar for piping.
04 - Using black royal icing, outline each cookie and flood the interior surface. Use a toothpick to spread icing evenly to edges. Allow to set for 30 to 60 minutes until completely hardened.
05 - Transfer yellow royal icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a yellow tassel and button on each graduation cap. Place a mini M&M or candy pearl at the tassel end. Allow cookies to dry completely before serving or packaging, preferably several hours or overnight.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and comes together in minutes, so even if this is your first time decorating, you'll nail it.
  • Black and gold caps look genuinely impressive on a dessert table, but the actual decorating is surprisingly simple once you get the hang of it.
02 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar before mixing the royal icing—lumps are impossible to break up once the icing is made, and they'll wreck your piping.
  • Gel food coloring is absolutely worth buying; liquid coloring will thin your icing too much and you'll never get it the right consistency for decorating.
03 -
  • Keep your piping bag pressure steady and consistent—jerky movements cause shaky lines that look amateur even if the taste is perfect.
  • If a candy pearl falls off during drying, wait until the yellow icing is completely dry, then use a tiny dab of fresh icing to glue it back on like you're performing delicate surgery.
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