These Decorated Sugar Cookies are perfect for decorating with family and piling onto a plate for Santa.
Decorated Sugar Cookies
Makes about 28
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Meringue Powder Icing (recipe follows)
- Colored sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and extracts with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Using assorted holiday cookie cutters, cut dough, gently rerolling scraps to use all dough. Place dough on prepared pans.
- Bake until edges are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on pans for 3 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
- Pipe a thin border of white Meringue Powder Icing around edges of cookies. Let dry completely. Decorate cookies as desired with remaining white and colored icing and sprinkles. Let dry completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 1 week.
Meringue Powder Icing
Makes 2½ cups
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cold water
- 6 tablespoons meringue powder
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- Assorted paste food coloring
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat ¼ cup cold water and meringue powder with a mixer at medium speed until frothy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
- Place a small amount of icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Divide remaining icing among small bowls, and tint as desired with food coloring. Stir in additional water ½ teaspoon at a time as needed to create a spreadable consistency.
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