Sugar Cookies are a classic holiday treat. Sit down with a cup of tea and create your holiday masterpieces!
What you need for the Sugar Cookies
Butter
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Eggs
Flour
Baking powder
Salt
What you need for the Royal Icing
Powdered sugar
Water
Light corn syrup
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Salt
Food coloring
How to make the Sugar Cookies
Cream the butter and Vanilla Sugar together in a stand mixer. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, along with the eggs and mix thoroughly. Next add the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the baking powder and salt into the flour right in the mixer. Mix until the dough comes together.
Form the dough into a disk and place on a floured rolling surface. Flour the surface, the dough and the rolling pin as you work to prevent sticking. Cut out cookie shapes, re-roll the dough and continue cutting out cookies until the dough is gone. This recipe will make about 5 1/2 dozen cookies. Place the cookies on baking trays and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. They should start to turn golden brown where the cookie touches the pan. You want them just done enough to set, but not browned on top. Cool completely.
How to make the Royal Icing
Put the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the water, light corn syrup, vanilla and almond extracts and salt. Stir until combined and smooth.
Divide the dough into separate bowls. Add your desired food coloring. Pour the icing into piping bags.
Place a disposable tablecloth over your coffee table. Get out your sprinkles. Pour yourself a cup of tea and watch a movie while you’re decorating. When my kids were little, I set them up in the kitchen and had cookie decorating parties with their friends. Send each child home with their cookies.
Snip tiny holes into the piping bags. Start by outlining with the desired color of icing, let it harden and then flood the center. If you plan to add sprinkles or other decorations, remember to do it while the icing is wet so that they will stick.
Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookies are a classic holiday treat. Sit down with a cup of tea and create your holiday masterpieces!
Ingredients
- For the Sugar Cookies
- 4 sticks butter
- 2 cups vanilla sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon almond extract
- 2 eggs
- 6 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- For the Royal Icing
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 7 tablespoons water
- 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Step 1 Cream the butter and Vanilla Sugar together in a stand mixer. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, along with the eggs and mix thoroughly.
- Step 2 Next add the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the baking powder and salt into the flour right in the mixer. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Step 3 Form the dough into a disk and place on a floured rolling surface. Flour the surface, the dough and the rolling pin as you work to prevent sticking.
- Step 4 Cut out cookie shapes, re-roll the dough and continue cutting out cookies until the dough is gone. This recipe will make about 5 1/2 dozen cookies. Place the cookies on baking trays and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Step 5 Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. They should start to turn golden brown where the cookie touches the pan. You want them just done enough to set, but not browned on top. Cool completely.
- Step 6 Put the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the water, light corn syrup, vanilla and almond extracts and salt. Stir until combined and smooth.
- Step 7 Divide the dough into separate bowls. Add your desired food coloring. Pour the icing into piping bags.
- Step 8 Snip tiny holes into the piping bags. Start by outlining with the desired color of icing, let it harden and then flood the center. If you plan to add sprinkles or other decorations, remember to do it while the icing is wet so that they will stick.
