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Classic Sugar Cookies

Servings 0

Ingredients

Make the cookies:

  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

Make the Royal Icing:

  • 3 TBS meringue powder
  • 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
  • 5 TBS water plus more to thin
  • 1 TBS pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°
  • Cream the butter in a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer.
  • Add the sugars and beat for about 4 minutes.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
  • Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and mix on low until just incorporated.
  • Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.
  • Cut the ball in half. Refrigerate the half you are not using.
  • Roll the dough out to about 1/4"
  • Cut out cookies with cookie cutters and move them carefully to cookie sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are just starting to brown
  • Cool on a wire rack.
  • Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Make the Royal Icing:

  • Add all ingredients to a stand mixer and beat on low for about 10 minutes
  • Separate the icing into separate bowls depending on how many colors you will be using.
  • For the icing you want to “fill” a cookie -Â thin with additional water 1 TBS at a time until it is of a consistency that will spread easily but not run.
  • You can decorate the cookies any way you would like.