Planning a graduation party comes with a lot of moving pieces, but dessert shouldn’t be one of them. These easy graduation cookies are quick to make, easy to decorate, and guaranteed to get a smile from guests of all ages. Whether you’re throwing a big backyard celebration or a cozy family gathering, these cookies fit right in.

You’ll get crisp edges, soft centers, and simple designs that look more advanced than they are. No fancy equipment, no stress—just reliable, delicious cookies that celebrate your grad in style.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Simple base dough: The sugar cookie dough uses basic pantry ingredients and holds its shape for clean, crisp designs.
Easy to customize: Use school colors, initials, graduation years, or little cap-and-diploma designs to make them personal.
Make-ahead friendly: You can bake and freeze the cookies in advance, then decorate the day before your party.
Kid- and crowd-approved: Soft centers, buttery flavor, and not too sweet—perfect for a dessert table.
Beginner-friendly decorating: Simple icing and a few clever shortcuts (like edible markers) deliver polished results without the stress.

What You’ll Need

For the cookies:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but adds great flavor)
For simple icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (or water), plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring in school colors
Decorating tools and extras:
- Piping bags or zip-top bags
- Small round piping tips (or snip a tiny corner of the bag)
- Edible markers (black and gold are especially handy)
- Sprinkles, sanding sugar, or edible glitter
- Square, circle, and diploma-shaped cookie cutters (or a knife to cut shapes)
- Ruler (for neat lines on graduation caps)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add egg and flavorings: Mix in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until combined.
Combine: Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
If dough feels sticky, chill it for 20–30 minutes.
Roll and cut: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into squares (for caps), circles (for faces or monograms), and rectangles (for diplomas).
Bake: Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until edges are just set and barely golden. Cool completely on racks.
Make icing: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. For outlining, use a thicker icing.
For flooding (filling in), thin with a little more milk. Separate into bowls and tint with food coloring.
Decorate graduation caps: Use square cookies. Outline in black, fill with black icing, and let set.
Add a small yellow or gold dot for the center button, then draw a tassel with colored icing or an edible marker. Use a ruler edge to guide clean lines.
Decorate diplomas: Use rectangle cookies. Outline and flood with white icing.
Once dry, draw a ribbon in the grad’s school color and add a simple knot or bow. Add a thin line for the rolled-paper edge.
Monogram or year cookies: On circles, flood with school colors. Once set, pipe the graduate’s initials or the year (e.g., “2026”) in contrasting icing.
Add a ring of sprinkles around the border if you like.
Let them set: Allow decorated cookies to dry at room temperature until the icing is firm to the touch. This can take 2–6 hours depending on humidity.
Plate and serve: Arrange on a platter by theme—caps together, diplomas together, and monograms in the center—or mix them for a casual look. Add a small sign with the grad’s name for a festive touch.

Storage Instructions

Short-term: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Separate layers with parchment to protect designs.
Make-ahead: Undecorated cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw in the container to prevent condensation.
Iced cookies: Once fully dry, iced cookies can be frozen in single layers, separated with parchment. Thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, to keep icing intact.

Health Benefits

Portion control: Cookies are naturally single-serve, making it easier to enjoy a treat without going overboard.
Lower in additives: Homemade cookies avoid the preservatives and artificial flavors often found in store-bought versions.
Customizable ingredients: You can swap in whole wheat pastry flour for part of the white flour, reduce the sugar slightly, or use plant-based butter if needed.
Allergen-friendly options: With simple substitutions, these can be made gluten-free or dairy-free for guests with sensitivities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overmixing the dough: Mix until just combined to avoid tough cookies.
Skipping chill time: If the dough is warm or sticky, a short chill helps cookies keep their shape.
Overbaking: Pull cookies when edges are set but not browned.
They’ll finish cooking on the sheet.
Too-thin icing for outlines: If your outline runs, add a little more powdered sugar until it holds a clean line.
Decorating before cooling: Warm cookies melt icing and blur details. Always cool completely.

Variations You Can Try

Chocolate sugar cookies: Replace 1/3 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich, dark base that makes bright tassels pop.
Lemon poppy seed: Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds to the dough. Use a light lemon glaze instead of vanilla icing.
Confetti cookies: Fold 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles into the dough for a funfetti look, then keep decorations simple.
Peanut butter diplomas: Swap 1/3 cup of the butter with peanut butter and decorate in classic diploma style.
Gluten-free option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour and add an extra tablespoon of milk if the dough feels dry.
Dairy-free: Use plant-based butter and a non-dairy milk for the icing.
The results are still tender and buttery-tasting.

Explore more irresistible cookie recipes you won’t want to miss:

Bridal Shower Cookies

Small Batch Sugar Cookies

FAQ

How far in advance can I make these cookies?

You can bake the cookies up to 2 days ahead and store them airtight at room temperature. Decorated cookies can be made 1–2 days ahead as long as the icing is fully dried before stacking.

What if I don’t have cookie cutters?

Use a knife and a ruler to cut squares for caps and rectangles for diplomas. A glass or jar lid works as a circle cutter.

Clean edges come from chilling the dough briefly before cutting.

Can I use store-bought dough?

Yes, but choose a dough that holds its shape, like a sugar cookie or shortbread. Avoid drop-cookie doughs that spread too much. You can still decorate with icing and edible markers.

How do I get smooth icing without fancy tools?

Use a zip-top bag with a tiny snip in the corner for outlining and flooding.

Gently shake or tap the cookie after flooding to settle the icing. A toothpick helps pop air bubbles and nudge icing into corners.

What colors should I use?

Match the graduate’s school colors for an instant custom look. If you’re unsure, black, white, gold, and a pop of one bright color always look classy and celebratory.

How do I package cookies as favors?

Once icing is fully dry, slip each cookie into a clear cellophane bag and tie with ribbon in school colors.

Add a small label with the grad’s name or class year for a polished touch.

Why did my cookies spread?

Warm dough, too much leavening, or overbeating the butter can cause spreading. Chill the cut shapes for 10–15 minutes before baking and check your baking powder’s freshness.

Final Thoughts

These easy graduation cookies bring charm and personality to any celebration without a lot of fuss. The base dough is reliable, the decorations are flexible, and the results look party-ready even for beginner bakers.

Personalize them with colors, names, and years to make your grad feel special. Bake ahead, keep it simple, and let the cookies be one more reason the day feels sweet and memorable.