Decorated Sugar Cookies

Definitely the most time consuming cookie (hence the late post today), but these are so worth it in the end!  I've been through many sugar cookie recipes, and finally landed on the perfect recipe.  I also experimented with royal icing and tried a new recipe today.  The end result is these cute trees, Christmas light bulbs & ornaments.

Sugar Cookies

Yield ~40
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour

Directions:Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 min. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool. 

Source: from Annies-eats.com

Royal Icing

3 oz pasteurized egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Whisk the egg whites and vanilla in a stand mixer on medium until frothy.  Add powdered sugar slowly and mix until combined.  Turn the speed up to high and mix 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form.  Color as desired.  To thin, add water by the 1/2 tsp until you reach flooding consistency.

Gingerbread Snowflakes

These gingerbread snowflakes are perfectly spicy and perfectly pretty.  I love the snowflakes, but I also made some cutout reindeer, along with mini & regular sized gingerbread men.

Don't be scared about the pepper, you won't be able to pick out the flavor once everything is mixed together :)

Gingerbread Cookies
yield 24 cookies
6 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground gloves
1 tsp finely ground pepper (do it!)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup molasses

Sift together flour, baking powder & baking soda; set aside.  Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then mix in spices, salt, eggs, and molasses.  With the mixer on low, add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Divide into thirds and refrigerate one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick and cut out snowflakes (or whatever shape desired).  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.  Bake cookies 12-14 minutes, until crisp.  Cool on wire rack, then decorate with royal icing and sanding sugar.

Bachelorette Cookies

Another idea from Pinterest, these cookies were for a friend's bachelorette party.

I used a roll out sugar cookie recipe and cut the cookies with a heart cookie cutter, then trimmed off the point.
Bake as directed, let cool, & decorate with royal icing.