Do you want to know the best part of making these cut-out sugar cookies? You can decorate them differently each time, making them perfect for any occasion whether it be Christmas or Valentine's Day! Aside from the lovely decorating freedom these cookies allow, their buttery flavor makes them wonderful on their own as well!
Description
These cookies have two components.
Sugar cookie dough
Royal Icing
Prep time: 2 hours and 30 minutes- 5 hours (depending on whether you decide to ice them and if you do, how difficult your designs are)
Cook time: 13-15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes- 2 1/2 hours
Yields: 18 cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
One egg (at room temperature)
1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of almond extract
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)
1 3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
Royal Icing
2 egg whites
3 cups of confectioners' sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon of whole milk
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until light in texture.
Add the sugar and continue to mix for another minute or until fluffy.
Add one egg and mix. Once the egg is fully incorporated, add the pure vanilla extract and the almond extract.
In a separate bowl, mix the baking powder, salt, cake flour, and all-purpose flour.
Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and beat on low until the dough is combined. The dough should be soft, but if it seems too soft, add 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour at a time.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Lightly flour two large sheets of parchment paper and place each ball of dough on each. Roll the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin until it's about 1/4 of an inch in thickness. Lightly dust the top of the rolled out dough with flour. Repeat with the other half of dough. Place one on top of the other (with a sheet of parchment paper in between). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Once the dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut the dough into their desired shapes. Re-roll the dough scraps and continue cutting out your shapes until all the dough is used. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets (at least 2 inches separating each cookie). Bake on the middle rack for 13-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through so that the cookies that were in the back of the oven are now in the front. This ensures an even bake if your oven has hot spots.
Once baked, transfer your cookies to a wire-rack to cool. Do not begin icing the cookies until they're completely cooled.
Royal Icing
Begin by separating your egg whites from the egg yolks. Instead of throwing the yolks away, I often like to save them for an omelet the next morning!
In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer, whip the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute.
Add the confectioners' sugar, whole milk, and pure vanilla extract to the egg whites. Whip for another minute. If you lift your whisks out of the bowl, your icing should drizzle down in around 5 seconds once it's ready.
Assemble
Figure out your desired color scheme. Separate your royal icing into multiple bowls. Add your food coloring and mix until the color is solid.
Pour each portion of icing into your piping bags, cutting the tips off of the bottoms (the size of the cut depends on how thick you want your strands of icing to be). If you want thin strands, cut a small hole. If you want thick strands, cut higher up on the piping bag to make a bigger hole.
Ice your cookie by first piping a border around the cookie. Squeeze gently and with consistent pressure so your border is the same width around the entire cookie.
To flood the cookies, add icing to the middle/ interior of the cookie. I often use a toothpick to get rid of the bubbles. When you flood your cookies, you certainly do not have to use the same color depending on the design of your cookie. An easy way to add dimension and detail to the cookies is by allowing your flood to act as a base coat. Once it's dry (in around 10 minutes), you can add more royal icing on top to make your details. I often use this technique when making complicated cookie designs.
Allow your cookies to dry for at least 12 hours. Depending on the thickness of your royal icing, it might take longer.
Notes
Royal icing consistency: having the perfect consistency is very important in icing detailed cookies. If your icing is too thick, it will not look smooth nor will it come out of the piping bag easily. If your icing is too thin, it will fall loosely around your cookie.
Don't rush the process! Your cookies must be chilled fully. Essentially, chilling the dough keeps the fat in the cookies from melting by solidifying it. This prevents the cookies from spreading and thinning out in the oven. Additionally, it's crucial that you allow your cookies to fully cool once they come out of the oven. If you don't, the icing will melt and it will be a mess!
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