Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Makes 30 to 40 cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
½tsp salt
2tsp baking powder
1 egg white
2 cups icing sugar
1tbsp lemon juice
1tbsp water
Preheat the oven to 176˚C. Cream together the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, salt and baking powder). Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time and mix until everything is combined and crumbly.
Wet your hands and knead the mixture by hand. Separate it into 2 to 3 dough balls. Cover the remaining dough balls with plastic wrap while you’re rolling. Don’t chill the dough. Place the dough on a floured surface, sprinkle a little flour on top to keep the rolling pin from sticking and roll it out until it’s about a ¼” thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the shapes, then transfer them to a parchment-lined cookie tray. Bake at 176˚C for 8 to 10 minutes.
For the royal icing: Combine the egg white and icing sugar and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and continue whipping until completely incorporated, about 3 minutes. The royal icing should be light, fluffy and slightly stiff. Add 1tbsp water or a little more to adjust the consistency. Add food colouring if you prefer coloured icing. Make a cornet and fill it to start decorating.
Tags: baking, baking competition, cookies