Decorated Bluebird and Goldfinch Sugar Cookies

Celebrate Spring (or any time) with these delicious sugar cookie birds! In this Instructable, I will show you how to make these cute bluebirds and goldfinches. The decorating possibilities are endless, so use this as inspiration and unleash your creativity to make any kind of birds you like.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Royal Icing

Tools:

• Bowls
• Spatula
• Whisk
• Electric mixer
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper
• Cookie sheet
• Cookie cutters
• Piping bags and tips

Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl with a whisk.

Cream butter and sugar in a mixer with paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium speed.

Beat in egg and vanilla on medium speed until just combined. Add flour mixture and stir on low until combined.

Turn out on counter and form into a flattened disc about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut out birds. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 12-14 minutes until edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cook completely.

Color flood consistency Royal Icing in the colors desired. I used bright yellow and black for the goldfinches. Pipe the yellow and let dry at least an hour. Then pipe black head, tail, wings and eyes. Keep it simple or get as creative as you like!

To make bluebirds, start by piping a white belly. Let dry at least an hour and then pipe the blue body and head. Let dry again for at least an hour. Then add the wing, beak and eye.