Description
Festive Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
For the Royal Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp meringue powder
5-6 tbsp water (adjust for consistency)
Food coloring (red, green, white, etc.)
Sprinkles or decorative candies
Directions
Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing well. Gradually mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until a dough forms.
Chill the dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven and roll: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut and bake: Use festive cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Let cool completely.
Make the icing: Whisk powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth. Divide into bowls and color with food coloring. Adjust the consistency for piping or flooding the cookies.
Decorate: Use piping bags to decorate the cookies with icing and add sprinkles or candies for extra flair. Let the icing dry completely before stacking or serving.
Time:
Prep Time: 20 minutes (+1 hour chilling)
Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: ~140 kcal per cookie
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