Royal-icing sugar cookies
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
- 280 g plain flour, plus a little for rolling rounded
- 2 g baking powder rounded
- 1.5 g fine salt rounded
- 170 g unsalted butter, softened but still cool rounded
- 150 g granulated sugar rounded
- 50 g whole egg, 1 large egg rounded
- 10 ml vanilla extract rounded
- 1.5 ml almond extract, optional (optional) rounded
- 480 g confectioners sugar, sifted, plus more if needed rounded
- 30 g meringue powder rounded
- 135 ml room-temperature water, plus more drop by drop as needed rounded
- 5 ml vanilla extract for icing, optional (optional) rounded
- 1 g gel food colouring, optional, as needed (optional) rounded
Method
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes; beat in the egg, vanilla and optional almond extract.
- Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until combined. Divide in half and roll each portion between lightly floured parchment to 6 mm thick. Stack, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 177°C and line baking sheets. Cut shapes, reroll scraps and arrange 7.5 cm apart. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes until set and only lightly coloured at the edges. Cool completely.
- For the icing, mix the sifted confectioners sugar and meringue powder. Add 135 ml water and optional vanilla; whip on high for 90 to 120 seconds.
- Lift the whisk: a ribbon should smooth back into the bowl in 5 to 10 seconds. Adjust with water a few drops at a time or more sifted sugar. Divide and tint if desired.
- Pipe outlines and flood the completely cool cookies. Keep unused icing covered with a damp towel and let decorated cookies dry uncovered for about 2 hours before stacking.
Notes
- Rolling before chilling makes the dough easier to handle and keeps the final thickness even.
- Meringue powder is not the same as plain egg-white powder. Use gel rather than liquid colour to avoid thinning the icing.
- The icing consistency controls detail: use the 5 to 10 second ribbon test and adjust gradually.
- Contains dairy, egg, wheat and possibly almonds. Allow the icing to dry completely before airtight storage.