Description
These soft sugar cookies paired with professional royal icing offer a delightful taste and a simple preparation process. Ideal for celebrations or just as a sweet treat, the combination of fluffy texture and smooth icing makes them hard to resist.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter, softened (65-67ºf) – 3/4 cup
- granulated sugar – 1 cup
- large egg, room temperature – 1
- vanilla extract – 1/2 teaspoon
- all-purpose flour – 2 1/3 cups
- baking powder – 1 teaspoon
- kosher salt – 1/2 teaspoon
- powdered sugar (icing) – 4 cups
- meringue powder (icing) – 3 tablespoons
- warm water (100-110°f) – 9 tablespoons
- vanilla extract (icing) – 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Cream softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-low speed for 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on medium-high for 20-30 seconds.
- Sift the dry ingredients together and incorporate into the mixer, pulsing until the dough forms.
- Divide the dough, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a floured surface.
- Cut out shapes from the dough and arrange them 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the surface of the cookies looks dry.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, whisk together the icing ingredients on low speed for 7 minutes, then increase to medium-low for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Adjust the consistency of the icing for both border and flood techniques as needed with water.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with the icing and allow to dry for 6-8 hours.
Notes
Make sure the butter is at the correct temperature for optimal mixing.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
Experiment with food coloring for festive designs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg