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Sugar Cookies:

2 Cups of Sugar

2 Tablespoons of Vanilla Extract

1 Pound of Butter

2 Eggs

6 Cups of All-Purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

2 Teaspoons Salt

Cream together the Butter, Sugar and Salt. You can tell it’s ready when the texture is no longer grainy and it looks lighter in color and fluffier. Add in Eggs and Vanilla a little at a time. Finally add in flour and baking powder. Many recipes will tell you to put dry ingredients together, then add them, but you don’t really have to. Once the flour is in, be careful not to over mix. Roll cookies out with minimal flour to keep your rolling pin from sticking. We like our cookies to be about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut out with your favorite cookie cutter and bake at about 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Many recipes will tell you to chill the dough, but you don’t have to with this one.

 

Royal Icing:

1 Pound Powdered Sugar

½ Cup of Egg Whites

¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Optional- 1 teaspoon Lemon or Peppermint Extract

Begin by whipping the egg whites until they are foamy and white. Then add in Powdered Sugar, Cream of Tartar and optional flavoring. This will give you a nice thick royal icing, perfect for lining cookies and making 3D designs. If you prefer, you can always add a few drops of water to make a thinner icing for filling with.

Tips:

  • For softer cookies, pull them out before they start to brown
  • When cutting out cookies, fit the shapes close together so you have very little dough leftover. Overworking your dough will make the cookies more crumbly.
  • When baking your shapes, you can put these ones about ½ inch apart as they shouldn’t spread much.
  • If you are finding your cookies spreading too much, increase the oven temperature and bake them faster.
  • When lining cookies, hold your bag above the cookie about an inch for a smoother line
  • If you make your icing too thick you can add in tiny amounts of water a little at a time. If it’s too thin, thicken it back up with a little powdered sugar. This is a very forgiving recipe.
  • When decorating your cookies, worry less about the shape of the cookie and more about the design you envision. You can make any shape into almost any design you like.
  • Have fun!

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