Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter softened (kerrygold or high quality butter)
- ½ pound powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil as needed for dry dough
Icing
- 8 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 6 tbsp meringue powder
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Mix butter until softened then add powdered sugar gradually.
- Add eggs, vanilla, salt, and almond extract. Blend 1 minute or until smooth.
- Add flour gradually. If dough is too dry and doesn't form a smooth consistency, add vegetable oil ½ teaspoon at a time until smooth. Dough should form one big ball.
- Prepare surface: On counter top, roll out one or two large pieces of parchment paper, adhering the corners to the table with duct tape.
- Place a ball of dough on parchment paper, then put plastic wrap over the top. Roll out dough dough sandwiched between parchment paper and the plastic wrap on top.
- Do not use flour on the dough. However, use a small plate of flour to dip cookie cutters and the spatula to remove cookies without sticking.
- Place cookies onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
- Bake at 3000 for approximately 18 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Let cool approximately 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack.
- Decorate using sugar or icing.
Icing
- Whisk meringue powder with warm water until dissolved.
- Add meringue powder mixture and remaining ingredients to stand mixer and mix onhigh for 5 minutes using paddle attachment.
- Add gel food coloring and thin to desired consistency with warm water (no morethan 1 tsp at a time)
Icing Consistencies
- Detail - toothpaste thicknessFlood - 10-15 second consistencyHybrid - 20-25 second consistency
Notes
Cut cookies 1/4" thick for best results. DO NOT use Parkay margarine, like the recipe used to specify. It is now extra salty and the cookies taste terrible with Parkay. Substituted butter on 11/1/2020 and they turned out great, but had to add about a teaspoon of vegetable oil to get the dough smooth and combined. Did not need to refrigerate dough with this combination before cutting and baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 9mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 316IUCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg
