In The Kitchen: Christmas Sugar Cookies

Due to the rain, my internet was down almost all day yesterday. My daughter and I decided to get festive, so we baked and decorated sugar cookies. I am usually not one for sugar cookies but this recipe I found on AllRecipes.com was absolutely delicious. This sugar cookie recipe yields a perfectly crisp, sweet, buttery cookie. What I love most is that the dough isn't finicky; you literally mix a few simple ingredients together, add flour and voila. The perfect sugar cookie.  For that reason, it makes the perfect project to do with little ones. Also, if you are looking for a tasty treat to ship to friends & family, or for the potluck at work; these delicious cookies ship and stack well. 

I decided to forgo the traditional Royal Icing recipe and try the "Sugar Cookie Icing" recipe on AllRecipes.Com since I have had so much luck with them lately, and they definitely didn't disappoint. The mixture was a bit stiff initially, so I had to add milk 1/2 a teaspoon at a time until I got the desired consistency. You really want the mixture to resemble a thick toothpaste consistency. - The icing dries fully in about 12-24 hours with a nice glossy finish that resembles cookies purchased from specialty bakeries. 

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies [Adapted from AllRecipes]

Ingredients:

1 cup and 3 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. 

Sugar Cookie Icing [Adapted from AllRecipes.com]

Ingredients:

5 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon milk

3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1-1/4 teaspoons almond extract

assorted food coloring

 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.<<--I used a Wilton Pastry bag, but it is completely optional :-)

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