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Cozy Christmas Sugar Cookie Cutouts Best Royal Icing Recipe

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These soft, buttery sugar cookies with a tender, almost shortbread-like texture are perfect for decorating with royal icing. The melted butter trick makes them quick, easy, and incredibly delicious—ideal for a cozy night of holiday baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5–6 tablespoons warm water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until well combined (looks like wet sand). Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and almond extracts until smooth and glossy.
  2. Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix.
  3. Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two discs, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. For a quicker chill, freeze for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat and prepare: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut again.
  6. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are just set and bottoms are lightly golden. Centers will still look slightly soft. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Make the royal icing: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 5 tablespoons warm water and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Beat on low to combine, then increase to medium-high and beat for 5-7 minutes until thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks. Adjust consistency with water or powdered sugar as needed.
  8. Decorate: Divide icing into bowls and color with gel food coloring. Transfer to piping bags or squeeze bottles. Outline cookies with thicker icing, then flood with slightly runnier icing. Use a toothpick to pop air bubbles. Let icing set for at least 2 hours or overnight before stacking.

Notes

Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent spreading. Use gel food coloring for royal icing to avoid thinning. For best results, outline all cookies first, then flood. Store decorated cookies in a single layer between parchment paper at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate.

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, Christmas cookies, cutout cookies, royal icing, holiday baking, easy sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/cozy-christmas-sugar-cookie-cutouts-best-royal-icing-recipe/