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Perfect Chocolate Diploma Cookies with Elegant Royal Icing

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These rich, fudgy chocolate cookies shaped like diplomas are topped with a crisp, glossy royal icing, perfect for graduation parties or special celebrations. The recipe balances ease with elegance and uses simple pantry staples.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Valrhona or Dutch-processed)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
  5. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼ inch (6mm) thickness.
  7. Use a diploma-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking.
  8. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. They should be set but still soft in the center. Transfer to cooling racks immediately.
  9. While cookies cool, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed until stiff peaks form (about 5-7 minutes).
  10. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract, beating briefly to combine. The icing should be thick but pipeable.
  11. Transfer royal icing to piping bags fitted with small round tips. Pipe the outline of the diploma first and let it set for 10 minutes.
  12. Flood the inside area with thinner icing (add a few drops of water to reach flooding consistency), letting it dry completely before adding details like the ribbon or seal.
  13. Allow decorated cookies to dry at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight before stacking or storing.

Notes

[‘Use pasteurized egg whites for safety in royal icing.’, ‘Chill dough and cut cookies before baking to prevent spreading and keep edges sharp.’, ‘Beat egg whites starting at medium speed until foamy, add sugar gradually, then increase speed to high for stiff peaks.’, ‘For flooding icing, thin with a few drops of water to a honey-like consistency.’, ‘Allow royal icing to dry completely before adding details to prevent bleeding or smudging.’, ‘Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for a month before rolling.’, ‘Cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days or frozen up to 3 months.’, ‘Flavors deepen after resting a day; decorate a day ahead if possible.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: chocolate cookies, diploma cookies, royal icing, graduation cookies, homemade cookies, easy chocolate cookies, celebration treats

Find it online: https://yumnode.com/perfect-chocolate-diploma-cookies-recipe-easy-homemade-royal-icing-tutorial/