Baseball Sugar Cookies That Look Like Real Baseballs
These baseball sugar cookies are a home run for any game day spread. A classic buttery sugar cookie base gets the royal icing treatment with a simple red lace design on top, turning each one into a tiny edible baseball.
They are soft in the center with crisp edges and way easier to decorate than you might think. You don’t need piping skills, just a steady hand and a little patience.
Why These Baseball Sugar Cookies Are a Hit
I keep this recipe around because it delivers on two things every time: the dough doesn’t spread in the oven, so the cookies stay perfectly round, and the royal icing sets hard, which means you can stack them for a party tray without smearing.
The flavor is pure butter and vanilla with just the right amount of sweetness. They taste as good as any bakery sugar cookie, but you get to have the fun of piping the red laces yourself.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled: this gives the cookies structure and keeps them from spreading
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder: just a little lift for a tender crumb
- 1/4 teaspoon salt: balances the sweetness
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature: use real butter for the best flavor
- 1 cup granulated sugar: sweetens without making the dough too soft
- 1 large egg, at room temperature: helps bind the dough
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: the main flavor note
- 2 cups powdered sugar: for the royal icing
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder: stabilizes the icing so it dries firm
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water, divided: to thin the icing to piping and flooding consistencies
- Red gel food coloring: gel gives a brighter red without watering the icing down
Variations / Substitutions
- Almond extract: swap half the vanilla for 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for a nuttier cookie.
- Dairy-free: use your favorite plant-based butter sticks. The dough will still roll and bake well.
- Store-bought icing: if you want to skip royal icing, use a thick tube of white decorating icing and a red tube for the laces; they set softer but work in a rush.
- Gluten-free: an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works, though the dough may be slightly more crumbly to roll.
Soft Sugar Cookies are another dessert you’d probably love if you enjoy these cookies.
How to Make Baseball Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Mix and Form the Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set that aside.
In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter with the 1 cup granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Add the 1 egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until just combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and mix only until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be soft but not sticky. Shape it into two flat discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. Chilling firms the butter so the cookies hold their shape during baking.
The dough will feel firm and slightly waxy when it’s properly chilled. If you press it with your finger, it should leave only a faint dent.
Step 2: Roll and Cut the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take one disc of dough out of the fridge. Roll it between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness. If the dough cracks at the edges, let it sit for 5 minutes to soften just a bit.
Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles. Gather the scraps, re-roll once, and cut more cookies. Place the rounds about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. The dough will be cool and smooth at this point, and the circles should peel off the parchment without stretching.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies
Slide the baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Watch for the edges to turn just the lightest golden brown while the tops stay pale. Overbaking will make them dry and crunchy instead of soft.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. They need to be fully cool before you add any icing, or the icing will melt and slide right off.
Step 4: Whip the Royal Icing
In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons meringue powder. Add 3 tablespoons of water and beat with a hand mixer on low until combined, then increase to high and beat for about 4 minutes, until the icing holds stiff peaks. You want a consistency that’s thick enough to pipe but still flows a little.
Scoop out half the icing into a separate bowl and cover it tightly so it doesn’t dry out. To the remaining half, stir in red gel food coloring a little at a time until you get a bright baseball-stitch red. If either icing feels too thick, add a few drops of water; if it’s too runny, beat in more powdered sugar. The white icing will be your base, and the red will pipe the laces.
Step 5: Decorate the Baseballs
Fit a piping bag with a small round tip, or just snip a tiny corner off a ziplock bag. Fill it with the white icing and pipe a circle onto each cooled cookie, leaving a narrow border around the edge. Use a toothpick to nudge the icing into a smooth round shape, then let it set for about 20 minutes so a skin forms.
Now fill another bag or ziplock with the red icing. Pipe two curved lines that look like the seams of a baseball, then add the short perpendicular stitches along each curve. Work one cookie at a time so the red icing can rest against the semi-set white base without bleeding. Let the decorated cookies dry uncovered at room temperature for at least 2 hours, until the icing is completely firm and stackable. Arrange them on a tray and serve.
Tips for Game Day Cookies
- Chill the dough overnight: if you can, cold dough is much easier to roll and creates the crispest edges.
- A toothpick is your best friend: for nudging icing into shape and fixing small smudges without touching the wet surface.
- Gel food coloring gives a truer red: without throwing off the icing consistency, start with a little and build up.
- If you want a glossy finish, whisk 1 teaspoon of light corn syrup into each color of icing right after mixing.
Storing Leftover Baseball Cookies
- Refrigerate: Store the decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Separate layers with parchment so the icing doesn’t stick.
- Freeze: You can freeze undecorated baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the counter, then decorate as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use buttercream frosting instead of royal icing?
Yes, but it won’t dry as hard, so stacking the cookies may smear the design. Keep them in a single layer if you go that route.
My icing came out too runny. How do I fix it?
Beat in more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it thickens to a pipeable consistency that still smooths out with a toothpick.
What if I don’t have a round cookie cutter?
Any clean round lid or a drinking glass with a 3-inch diameter works, just flour the rim lightly so the dough doesn’t stick.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, swap in an all-purpose 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour, and expect the dough to be a little more delicate when rolling.
Baseball Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Shape dough into two discs, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll one disc of dough to 1/4-inch thickness between floured parchment. Cut 3-inch circles and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are just golden. Cool on the sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 3 tablespoons water on high for 4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Divide icing; tint half with red gel coloring. Adjust consistency with water or powdered sugar as needed.
- Pipe white icing circle on each cookie, smooth with a toothpick, let set 20 minutes. Pipe red curved seams and stitches. Dry uncovered at least 2 hours before stacking.
Notes
