Holiday gift ideas: Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

I’ve long been intimidated by decorating sugar cookies – always wanting mine to look like this, but being so scared of failure that I haven’t even tried….

…until I saw this tutorial over at PW Cooks.  They made it look so fun and easy, I just had to try it.  It took me most of a cold and blustery Sunday and my kitchen was covered in powdered sugar and various shades of royal icing by the end of it all, but I conquered my fear of sugar cookie cutouts decorated with royal icing.

While mine don’t look quite as good as theirs, I think for a first timer I did pretty well.  And after the first dozen or so, it wasn’t even that tedious or painful.  It actually may have even been fun after a while.  Or maybe that was just the delirium talking.  No, I think it was actually enjoyable.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself as I contemplate decorating the other half (I got ambitious and made a double batch).

Also, this is probably not the kind of decorating you want to do with your kindergartner.  It’s messy.  And takes a steady hand and a modicum of patience.  And unless you want your cabinets glued together with royal icing,you might want to save this ’til the kids are a little older.

I’ve also been trying for years to make a successful whole-wheat sugar cookie.  One that wasn’t overpowered by the flavor of the flour, had a tender crumb, and wasn’t too dark.  I think this year I finally succeeded.

1. Beat butter in the bowl of your electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds
2. Add sugar, agave nectar and baking powder; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined
4. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the flour until it is all combined.
5. Divide the dough into four parts; chill for 2 hours in the fridge, or 45 minutes in the freezer (if you’re impatient like I am).
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1/4 of the dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness.
7. Cut out with your favorite holiday-shaped cookie cutters
8. Place cutouts on cookie sheets lined with silpat liners
9. Bake at 375F for 7-9 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very light brown.
10. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

1. Combine meringue powder and water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
2. Beat on high until foamy
3. Sift the powdered sugar and add slowly with the mixer on low speed
4. Add the extract (I used a combination of vanilla and orange)
5. Increase the speed to high and beat for 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form – icing should be glossy

At this point, the icing is the perfect consistency for piping.  It was at this point that I divided the icing into five parts, leaving a little more than 1/5 of it as is for piping purposes. The other four parts I divided equally among four bowls and thinned with just a tiny bit of water to flooding consistency (when you hold your mixing implement – spatula or spoon – above the bowl, the icing should flow back into the bowl and disappear into the mix within 2-3 seconds).

If you’re like me and have ever been intimidated by the thought of trying to decorate sugar cookies, I recommend you try this technique.  I was much easier than I thought it would be, and once I got the hang of it, it didn’t really take that long.

And, if you’re still just a simple sprinkles and dragees kind of person, this cookie recipe is a good base for that as well.  You could easily change up the extract you use, subbing orange, lemon, coconut, almond, or whatever you prefer for the vanilla I used.

Enjoy!