I rarely step outside of the realm of cakes, but my office was hosting a cookie challenge and I couldn’t resist making these marbled sugar cookies with royal icing!

The design is stunning yet so simple to make. I am far from a royal icing expert, but that’s why I love this sugar cookie recipe so much.

You only have to make one consistency of icing and it’s easy to get it just right.

Let’s Make These Marbled Sugar Cookies Together!

To make sure this marbled sugar cookie recipe turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together. I’ve included photos of each step below along with a video tutorial.

Step 1. Make the Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Begin by making the sugar cookie dough! I love to use my soft and chewy cream cheese cookie recipe, but you can use any sugar cookie recipe!

The cookie really just acts as the canvas for our beautiful marbled royal icing.

You can also cut your dough out into any shape your heart desires.

I’ve used Christmas trees and hearts in the past, but this design is super versatile so don’t be afraid to get creative!

Step 2. Make the Royal Icing

While the cookies bake and cool, make the royal icing.

Whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add in the water and vanilla extract and mix on a medium speed until stiff peaks form. This usually takes me about 4 minutes with a hand mixer.

Next, add in additional water 1 Tbsp at a time until the icing reaches a flooding consistency (more on that below in step 3!).

I had to add about 3 Tbsp of water, but it can vary from batch to batch.

Step 3. Testing the Consistency of the Icing – The Figure 8 Test

To test the consistency of the icing, I highly recommend using the figure 8 test! Lift a spoon or spatula and create a figure 8 with the runoff icing.

If the figure 8 disappears in exactly 8 seconds, the icing is ready to use.

If it melts away faster, thicken the icing by adding 2 Tbsp of powdered sugar. Or if it takes longer than 8 seconds to disappear, thin it by adding 2 additional teaspoons of water.

Repeat this test and adjust as you go until the figure 8 takes exactly 8 seconds to disappear.

Once the icing is at the right consistency, place a sheet of saran wrap directly on top of the royal icing to prevent it from crusting. This is very important!!

If you leave the icing exposed to air for too long, it will crust and form a chunky top layer! Be sure to keep the icing covered until right before you plan to use it.

Step 4. Color and Marble the Royal Icing

Once you’re ready to decorate the cooled cookies, use 2/3 cup of the royal icing to create each different color of icing for your cookies.

I recommend making 3 different shades of the same color. I used lime green, leaf green, and moss green to make these marbled Christmas tree cookies.

I also tested out the design with yellow and red icing, but I think using 3 different shades of the same color looks best!

Use gel food coloring to color each icing and place each color into its own small piping bag. Seal the top of each bag with a rubber band. Set aside.

Transfer the remaining uncolored royal icing into a smaller bowl to make it easier to dip the cookies.

Cut the tips of the piping bags to create a small opening (1/4 of an inch). Drizzle the icing colors on top of the uncolored icing.

Use a toothpick or scribe to drag lines through the colors to create a swirled pattern like in the picture below.

This pattern is what gives these cookies that beautiful, marbled look!!

Step 5. Dunk Those Sugar Cookies!!

Then dunk the cookies into the glaze one at a time.

Be sure to cover the entire surface of the cookie and shake off some of the excess icing before flipping the cookie over and setting it aside to dry.

Let some of the icing run off before carefully flipping the cookie icing side up and placing it onto a wire rack to dry.

I usually get icing on my fingers each time I dip a cookie, so I recommend having a damp washcloth nearby to wipe your fingers off.

After dipping each cookie, drizzle and swirl more of the colored icing to ensure every cookie is nice and colorful.

If you notice the bowl of icing is starting to crust, use a spoon to carefully scoop off the top layer of icing before dunking the next cookie.

Let the cookies dry for an hour or until they are firm to the touch, then enjoy! These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Using This Technique on Different Cookie Shapes

I made this batch of marbled cookies with tree-shaped cookies, but this technique can be used on different-shaped cookies and with tons of different color combinations!

Below are some marbled heart sugar cookies that I made for Valentine’s Day.

Substitutions and Swaps – Marbled Royal Icing Sugar Cookies

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know you might not have all these ingredients on hand! Or you might have food restrictions or allergies.

Below are some swaps and variations that can be made in this recipe.

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter, you can use it and omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter.
• Cream Cheese – I recommend using the full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block.
• Granulated Sugar – This recipe turns out best with granulated sugar. I don’t recommend changing the type or amount of sugar, as it can impact the texture of the cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour – You can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed in place of the AP flour in this recipe.
• Almond Extract – I love the hint of almond extract in these cookies, but if you have a nut allergy you can use additional vanilla extract or a different extract in place of the almond extract.
• Meringue Powder – This ingredient is a must for the royal icing. It has stabilizers (usually cornstarch and sugar) which help the icing easily whip up. For this reason, I don’t recommend using dried egg white powder as a substitution.

How Many Cookies Does this Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make about 36, 2 1/2-inch circular cookies. However, the yield and bake time will vary based on the size and shape of the cookie cutter(s) you use.

This recipe can be halved to make fewer cookies (use half a scrambled egg in the dough), but I don’t recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial (8 qt.) stand mixer.

Tips for Making the Best Marbled Sugar Cookies

• Really cream together the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar in the first step of this recipe. It helps incorporate air into the dough which makes fluffy and soft cookies.
• Don’t overwork the cookie dough! It can overwork the gluten and result in tough, dense cookies.
• Roll the cookie dough out to a consistent thickness of 1/3 inch. If some are thicker or thinner than others, they may over- or under-bake in the oven.
• Take the time to chill the cookie dough. It helps prevent your cookies from spreading while they bake and helps them bake up with a soft texture.
• Liberally flour your counter before you roll out the cookie dough and move the dough around while you roll and cut the cookies.
• Don’t overbake your cookies. Err on the side of underbaking your cookies and remember that the cookies continue to bake for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven.
• Avoid leaving the icing uncovered for long periods or it will crust! Either use it immediately or cover it with plastic wrap.
• Use gel food coloring to color the icing. It helps create vivid colors without throwing off the consistency of the icing.

Making These Marbled Sugar Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips

You can store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

If you want to stack the cookies on top of one another, I recommend adding a layer of parchment paper between them.

This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. I like to move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before I plan to roll it out and bake the cookies.

Baked, un-frosted cookies can also be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in an airtight container. I recommend waiting to decorate them until they’ve thawed to room temperature.

Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat them, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before icing them.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for marbled sugar cookies, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

And if you share on social media, tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so I can see your delicious creations!

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