Iced Sugar Cookies
Here’s another recipe that I really only make once a year, since it’s labor intensive, but I honestly enjoy the process. I am not a professional cookie decorator and there are plenty of mistakes in my decorating, but the creative side of me loves making these cookies as pretty as possible. I’ve played around with a lot of cookie dough over the years and I think this recipe gives the best, consistent results.
Tips
If the dough starts to get too sticky, wrap it and place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
I like to roll cookie dough on a piece of plastic wrap to avoid adding additional flour to the dough and to make transferring the cut cookies to the baking sheet easily.
You can store the cookie dough in the freezer for a few months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling.
Baked, un-iced cookies can be stored and frozen in an airtight bag for months. Thaw cookies before decorating with icing.
Iced Sugar Cookies
Makes 3 dozen, 3” cookies
PREP 20 minutes plus 1 hour for chilling
COOK 8 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
ICING
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 teaspoons meringue powder
Gel food coloring, if desired
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a electric mixer beat the butter, sugar and salt together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add vanilla.
On slowest speed add the flour and mix until just combined. Don’t overtax.
Divide the dough into 2 disks and wrap them in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator for an hour to firm up. Dough can be left for a few days if you want to do ahead.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll out your dough, on a slightly floured surface, to 1/8” thick. Cut your cookies in desired shapes, trying to fit the cutters as close together as possible. Scraps of dough can be rerolled and cut.
Transfer cut cookies to a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing the cookies 2” apart. If you’d like to use sanding sugar instead of icing, brush the cookies with a beaten egg white and sprinkle on sugar before baking.
Bake the cookies for 6-8 minutes or until the edges and bottoms are lightly browning.
Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack before icing or freezing.
Make icing: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and 1/4 cup water (if needed, adjust consistency with confectioners' sugar). Transfer icing to a pastry bag with a small tip, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and snip a small hole in one corner. Decorate cookies as desired.