Looking for a way to make your next party a little more memorable? Make your get-together unforgettably sweet by sending out invitations that are not only edible, but super delicious! Who wouldn’t want to get one of these in the mail?

These adorable sugar cookie party invitations come from Tessa of the blog Sweet Bake Shop. Read on to find out how she made them!

Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour (about 750 grams)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups/1 pound unsalted butter, softened slightly, quartered
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
5 Tablespoons meringue powder
⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons water
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (for wiping the bowl)
Light corn syrup

Materials

#2 or #3 piping tip
3-inch x 4.5-inch rectangle cutter
Edible-ink marker (such as a Wilton Food Writer)
Edible ink printer
Frosting sheets (edible paper)
Parchment paper
Piping bag
Small paintbrush
Zip-top plastic bag

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Turn the mixer down to low speed, add all of the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix until incorporated.

4. Turn the dough out onto your countertop and divide in half. Place half of the dough on a piece of parchment paper (you can place a silicone mat or damp paper towel under the parchment to keep it from sliding) and cover with another sheet of parchment paper.

5. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness and slide onto a large cutting board (or the back of a baking sheet). Repeat with remaining dough and then pop the two rolled-out doughs into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 350 °F and line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and take off the top sheet of parchment paper. Cut desired shapes (in this case we used a 3″ x 4.5″ rectangle cutter, which is the same size as the edible paper invites) and place them on the prepared baking sheets lined with parchment. To prevent the cookies from spreading, pop the baking sheet with the cut cookies into the freezer for 20 minutes. I find that the colder the cut cookies are, the better they hold their shape while baking. Just remember to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes (you may have to add a minute or two if the cookies are frozen). The cookies should be lightly browned around the edges. Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to finish. Repeat process with the other rolled-out dough and scraps. Once baked, the cookies keep for about 3 weeks in an air-tight container.

9. For the royal icing, use a clean paper towel with a few drops of lemon juice to wipe the bowl of a standing mixer as well as the paddle attachment. This will eliminate any residual oils that could wreck your icing.

10. Weigh or measure the icing sugar in the bowl of your mixer, and then add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl. Mix on low speed for 12 minutes. At first, the mixture will look runny, but it will thicken up. After 12 minutes, stop the mixer and lift up the paddle attachment. The icing should be soft-peak consistency (soft, but sturdy and shiny). This is the perfect consistency for piping the borders around cookie edges. If your icing is too runny, add another tablespoon or two of icing sugar and mix on low speed for another minute or so. If you add too much sugar and the icing is too thick, add a few drops of water and mix again.

11. Scoop about ⅓ cup of the icing into a small bowl, cover it with a damp tea towel, top it with a plate and put it in the fridge. This will be for piping the final border on your cookies. Fit a piping bag with a #2 or #3 piping tip, scoop in some of the soft-peak icing from the mixer bowl and pipe a border around the outside of the cookies. Royal icing dries quickly, so be sure to cover the bowl of leftover icing with a damp tea towel while you’re piping your borders.

12. Next, you’ll want to make flood-consistency icing. To do this, add water to the remaining icing a little at a time until you have smooth and shiny icing. It should be able to run off the end of a spoon and disappear or blend into the bowl of icing without being watery. Pour it into a squeeze bottle, and flood the cookies. The borders you piped earlier will keep the icing from running over the sides. Allow the cookies to dry overnight.

13. If you don’t have an edible-ink printer, most major grocery stores do and will usually print your images for you for a small fee. If you’re interested in buying one, I am a huge fan of my Canon MG5320. You can buy the frosting sheets (edible paper) and edible ink cartridges from Kopykake. Print out the images and cut them to the same size (or slightly smaller) as your cookies. Store in a zip-top bag until ready to use, as they can dry out and crack otherwise.

14. Pour the light corn syrup into a small bowl. Using a small, new (or designated food) paintbrush, apply a very thin layer of the corn syrup to the back of one of the cut out images, making sure to get right to the edges. Alternatively, you can brush the corn syrup right on to the cookie. There’s no right or wrong way— it just comes down to preference. Carefully turn the image over and apply it to one of the cookies, smoothing the image gently and making sure there are no air bubbles. Repeat with remaining images and cookies. Allow to dry for 30 minutes.

15. Remove the leftover royal icing from the fridge, and give it a good stir. Fit another pastry bag with a #2 or #3 tip, spoon in some of the icing, and pipe a border around the edges where the edible image meets the icing base. Allow to dry overnight.

16. Once dry, you can use an edible-ink marker (like a Wilton Food Writer) to write in all of the party details. Package up however you like, and deliver the cookies to your future party guests!