5th Day of Christmas Cookies: Katie's Sugar Cookie Cutouts with Royal Icing

 It's the 5th day of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies and, 

I can't even tell you have excited I am for this post. 

I have been since I received the photos a few days ago.

 My dear friend and matron of honor Katie is so creative! 

In fact she is the owner of Katie Hall Creative, 

her own photography business 

(you'll be able to tell that from the cookie photos). 

Katie is someone I have looked up to since we became friends 

when I was in college, and I am so grateful to her for sharing this recipe!

Katie, and her beautiful family.

************************************************************

Sugar Cookie Cutouts with Royal Icing

Shopping List:

3 C All-purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1 C Sugar

2 sticks Unsalted Butter, cold, cut into chunks

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and mix on medium speed until well combined.
4. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
5. Gradually add flour mixture, scraping sides of bowl as needed until dough comes together.
6. Place wax paper on countertop and lightly flour surface.
7. Take half of the cookie dough and knead together and roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness with rolling pin.
8. Cut out snowflakes with cookie cutters and place onto prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

9. Place cookies into refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill. This will help the cookies keep their shape when baking.
10. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.
11. Allow cookies to cool on pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to continue cooling.

12. Once cookies are cool, decorate with royal icing and sprinkles. Makes 2 - 3 dozen, depending on the size.

Royal Icing

For the icing:

4 C Confectioners’ Sugar

1/4 C Meringue Powder

1/2 Scant Cup Water

To decorate:

Piping Bags

Piping Tip – small round Wilton No.2

Squeeze Bottles

Gel Coloring

Sprinkles

Method:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder and mix on low.
2. Add water and beat on medium speed for 5 - 7 minutes until icing is fluffy and stiff peaks form.
3. Place icing in plastic airtight containers until ready to use. Portion out icing into separate containers, using 1 container for each color you plan to use. It is best to work with about 1 cup of icing at a time.
4. Use a toothpick and a small amount of gel coloring to tint icing.
5. To pipe details or outlines on cookies, place a small amount of icing in piping bag fitted with No. 2 round tip. Gently squeeze icing and trace the outline of your cookie or pipe snowflake details. Allow outlines to dry for about 20 minutes before flooding.

6. To flood cookies, thin the icing with 1 teaspoon water at a time. Stir icing with small spatula and continue to add water as necessary to reach desired flooding consistency. If you lift your spatula and the icing drips and falls back into itself after about 7 seconds, it is a good consistency. Makes enough to decorate 2 - 3 dozen cookies.

XOXO Katie

Original Recipe from: Mobile Bay Mag

***************************************************************

Thank you so much Katie! I am definitely going to give these cookies a try!

Join us tomorrow for the 6th Day of Christmas Cookies: 

Julie's Peanut Butter Blossoms!