Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Makes about 24 cookies
2 1⁄4 c all-purpose flour
1⁄2 t baking powder
1⁄4 t kosher salt
3⁄4 c (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3⁄4 c + 2 T granulated sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
2 t vanilla bean paste, or extract
Combine all flour, baking powder, and salt a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, beating well. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients. Mix lightly until just combined.
Remove dough from the bowl and divide into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll out each piece to 1⁄4” thick. Transfer one rolled-out piece of dough to a lightly floured Silpat baking mat or parchment paper on a sheet pan. Stack the second piece on top of with parchment in between. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least one hour (or up to 2 days. Wrap in plastic if longer than 2 hours).
Remove chilled dough from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 large sheet pans with Silpat or parchment. Using cookie cutters, cut dough into desired cookie shapes. Reroll scraps and cut out until all dough is used. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Bake for 12-13 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Royal Icing
This icing is easy to work with and dries completely in about 2 hours. It works for outlining and flooding cookies.
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 T meringue powder
1⁄2 powdered vanilla (optional)
5 T water, room temperature
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat all ingredients together until smooth, about 2 minutes. When lifted, the icing should drizzle off the whisk like a ribbon. If it’s too thick, add a little more water. Too thin? Add more sugar.
Be sure to cover your icing, if you’re not using it, with a wet paper towel pressed onto the surface. Otherwise it will form a crust as it dries.