CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE and BEST TASTING SUGAR COOKIE ICING RECIPE

 Recipe and photos from slow roasted Italian.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3-4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Best Ever Sugar Cookie Icing
Pearl Sugar Balls (dragees)



Best Ever Sugar Cookie Icing - recipe below

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar, on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add the eggs, vanilla and almond.  Beat until combined. Add the salt and 3 cups of flour; beat until you have a smooth dough. If the dough is sticky (meaning when you touch it and pull your fingers away the dough sticks to you), add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.

Remove half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.)  Cut out desired shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to baking sheet. 

Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking. Note: If you are not going to frost the baked cookies, you can sprinkle the unbaked cookies with sparkling sugar at this point.

Bake the cookies for about 9-11 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Decorate the cookies with Best Ever Sugar Cookie Icing if desired. Be sure to let the icing dry completely before storing. (This may take several hours or overnight.) 

BEST TASTING SUGAR COOKIE ICING RECIPE

 6 cups powdered sugar
¼-½ cup whole milk
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons almond extract
gel food coloring (in desired colors)

  In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer) combine sugar and ¼ cup milk.  Mix until smooth.  Add milk as need to create a smooth mixture, one tablespoon at a time.  Add corn syrup and almond extract.

To decorate cookies, your outline icing should be the consistency of toothpaste, your flood icing should be the consistency of corn syrup.

Add food coloring one drop at a time until desired color is reached.  Pour into bottles, decorator bags or a cup.  Keep unused icing sealed until ready to use.