My Thanksgiving cookies are complete, and our Christmas decor is out. I’ll mark today down as a WIN!
Who’s planning to do some holiday baking? I want to share my favorite cut out cookie and royal icing recipe with you. I’ve tried several and these look and taste the best! I also love that the icing will harden enough to stack.
Royal Icing Recipe
Ingredients:
6 oz (3/4 cup) of warm water
5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 kilogram (2.25 lbs.) powdered icing sugar
Note; if your meringue powder has no vanilla flavor (vanillin powder) in it, add a teaspoon of clear vanilla to this recipe.
Directions:
- In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened…about 30 seconds.
- Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more.
- Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer.
- Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy.
- Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying.
- Tint with food color or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency.
Perfect Every Time Cut-Out Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar (I use sugar that I’ve stored vanilla beans in)
1 cup (salted) butter, cold & cut into chunks
1 egg
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
- The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.
- Roll on a floured surface to about 1/4″ to 3/8″ thick, and cut into shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets (I recommend freezing the cut out shapes on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Pumpkin Pie Design:
- I used a large bowl as a cookie cutter and divided it like a pizza with a large knife.
- Outline and flood the cookies with a #2 tip.
- To make the crust, position a #101 tip near the left corner of the cookie, thin side up. Slowly move up and down in a loose “M” shape until you reach the opposite side (this icing should be a medium consistency).
- Finish up by using a star tip to add a dollop of whipped cream (this icing should be a thicker consistency). I used a #18.
Feel free to message me with baking questions!
