Sugar Cookies With Royal Icing
A simple royal icing decorates these basic vanilla sugar cookies. The royal icing is made with meringue powder.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 11 1/4 ounces
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, 8 ounces, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 6 3/4 ounces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
Royal Icing
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, 10 ounces
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/4 cup water, 2 ounces
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- food coloring
- sprinkles or colored sugars, if desired
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; stir or whisk to blend thoroughly. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, the almond extract, and the egg. Beat until well blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl until blended.
- With floured hands, gather the dough into two disks and flatten slightly.
- Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 375 F.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk of dough out to about 1/8-inch in thickness.
- Cut out cookies and arrange on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until set and just lightly browned on bottoms.
- Cool on a rack and frost with the royal icing (below) or another cookie icing.
- Icing
- In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the 2 1/4 cups of confectioners' sugar with the meringue powder and water until the mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form (about 6 minutes). Beat in the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and corn syrup.
- Divide the mixture among small bowls. Add colors as desired and mix well.
- Spread the icing on the cooled cookies and sprinkle with colored sugar, sprinkles, or small candies, as desired. The icing hardens quickly, so sprinkle as you frost.
- After the icing has set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
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