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Another Sugar Cookie Recipe

Categories: Baked Goods, Desserts, Holiday
Contributed by: Kelly CA

Makes 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 2 large egg, lightly beaten
  
• 4 tablespoons milk
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• Royal Icing, optional 

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. With mixer running, add egg, milk, and vanilla; mix until incorporated.

2. Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 4 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.

4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

5. Decorate with Royal Icing, optional.

Royal Icing

-5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
-1 pound(4 cups) Confectioners Sugar
-pinch of salt(adds flavor balance)
-1/3 Cup Water
-1 teaspoon vanilla

-Sift confectioners sugar to make sure there are no lumps
-Combine and beat on low speed of an electric mixer till smooth(about 1 minute).
-Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, till mixture is the consistency of honey
-Pour icing into individual bowls to color.
-Tint with paste food coloring for best results(although the liquid is fine)
-Pipe onto cookies using pastry bags and small decorating tips.
If you pipe the colors onto each other while they are still wet, you can do the feathering thing like in the mittens and Christmas trees...just drag a toothpick through the wet icing. That part is pretty fun!
You have to pipe a line all the way around the cookie(or the area of the cookie you wish to color) to act as a dam so the icing doesn't run off the side when you ice the cookie.With the penguins, I outlined the body color first, then filled it in. Then I outlined the tummy, feet and beak and filled that in with the other color. The wing and eye were done on top of the wet icing...it just sinks right in.
~~The icing takes at least an hour to get semi-solid and probably doesn't REALLY dry for several hours. I left mine out overnight before I put them away in tins...so I was sure they wouldn't stick together.
Have fun and prepare to get STICKY!

Kelly's alternative to the above icing made w/ meringue powder:
Here is a royal icing recipe using powdered egg whites instead of meringue powder:

Royal Icing With Powdered Egg Whites

1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
5 1/4 tsp. Egg White Powder
6 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Stir together sugar, cream of tartar and egg white powder in mixer bowl. Add water and vanilla and beat at low speed until sugar is dissolved, then at high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Icing must hold its shape before using. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. warning: Any grease will break down icing.