How to prepare Pencil-Shaped Sugar Cookies

Nothing says “back to school” like adorable pencil-themed treats! If you’re looking for a fun and creative way to celebrate the new school year, these pencil-shaped sugar cookies are the perfect solution.

Not only are they eye-catching, but they also taste delicious and are surprisingly easy to make at home.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how to prepare pencil-shaped sugar cookies from scratch, decorate them like a pro, and even suggest a few tools and ingredients that can help make the process smooth and fun.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To get started, you’ll first need a classic sugar cookie dough. Here’s what you need:

For the Sugar Cookies:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

For the Royal Icing:

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons warm water
Food coloring: yellow, pink, tan, gray, black

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until fully combined.

Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.

Step 2: Cut the Pencil Shapes

Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Using a sharp knife or rectangle cookie cutter, cut out long rectangular shapes (around 4-5 inches long).

To shape one end like a pencil point, simply cut a triangle off one end of each rectangle. This will become the pencil tip.

Place your cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill again for 10–15 minutes to help prevent spreading.

Step 3: Bake the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

Step 4: Prepare the Icing

Mix the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until you get a stiff peak consistency. Divide into separate bowls and color accordingly:

Yellow for the pencil body
Pink for the eraser
Tan for the wood tip
Black or gray for the pencil lead and band

Thin the icing slightly for flooding consistency (about 10–15 second consistency) and transfer to piping bags.

Step 5: Decorate!

Now the fun begins:

Body – Outline and flood the middle section with yellow icing.
Eraser End – Outline and flood the top part with pink icing.
Band – Use gray or silver icing between the eraser and the yellow body.
Tip – Use tan icing for the wood and black for the lead at the pointed end.
Let cookies dry completely before serving (6–8 hours or overnight for best results).

Tips for Perfect Pencil Cookies

Use gel food coloring for vibrant shades without changing the icing consistency.
Let each color dry slightly before adding the next section to prevent colors from bleeding.
If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought sugar cookie dough and premade royal icing.