Sugar Cookie and Royal Frosting

Submitted by Ann Draughon - added 5/1/24

Ingredients

• Sugar Cookies:
• 2 cups butter, room temp (4 cubes)
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. lemon extract
• 6 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Basic Royal Icing:
• 1 lb. confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 5 Tbsp. meringue powder
• scant 1/2 cup water
• SweetAmbs Royal Icing:
• 7 1/2 cups (910 grams) confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (104 grams) meringue powder
• 3/4 cups (177 mL) water, room temperature, plus more for thinning
• 1/4 tsp. (1 gram) salt
• 2 tsp. (10mL) vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Sugar Cookies:
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and lemon extract. Mix well. Stir in combined flour and soda. Divide into two discs and refrigerate until well-chilled.
3. Roll out into 1/4-in thick and cut. Chill on cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 6-8 minutes.
4. Cookie dough discs may be frozen for later use - wrap in wax or parchment paper, then plastic wrap, then store in a gallon-size freezer ziploc.
5. Tips: The Cookie
6. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe.
7. Make sure to refrigerate the dough before cutting out shapes and again after the shapes are placed on the cookie pan before baking (~15 minutes). This helps the cookie retain its shape.
8. Brush baked cookies with powdered sugar to help prevent discoloration of icing.
9. Let iced cookies dry completely, uncovered.
10. Both cookie dough and undecorated cookies can be frozen. Decorated cookies may be frozen as well, though there is chance for some slight discoloring.
11. Basic Royal Icing:
12. Combine all ingredients in bowl of electric mixer fixed with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 7 minutes. Gradually add water to desired consistency. Use icing immediately or store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Beat well before using.
13. Tips: The Icing
14. Buy meringue powder at your local craft store. It will last a long time, so go ahead and get a big can.
15. Use gel coloring - a little goes a long way! Mix to your desired color first, then separate to mix to desired consistencies.
16. Add a little (little!) water at a time to reach desired consistency, mixing well. Use a stiff consistency for outlining and more fluid consistencies for filling/covering your base.
17. Stiff = spreadable but can hold a peak; use for brush embroidery, roses, ruffles, basket weave.
18. Medium = holds a very soft peak, doesn't spread on its own; use for decorative piping.
19. Flood = smooths out on its own within 14-16 seconds but doesn't run over edge of cookie; use for your base layer of icing and also for wet-on-wet techniques.
20. Store leftover icing in the fridge in an airtight container. Always keep icing covered when not in use.
21. Keep piping bag tips covered with a wet cloth or resting in a jar with a small layer of water.
22. If you are going to do a traditional flood technique, outline the cookie/area with flood icing in a size 3 tip, then fill the inside, then use a toothpick to smooth.
23. SweetAmbs Royal Icing:
24. In stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and salt on low speed until combined. Still on low speed, add the water, 1/4 cup at a time, to the dry ingredients, but don't add it all at once. Depending on the weather, you might not need the full 3/4 cup. Hold back about 1/4 cup at first, then add more water if the mixture is dry and crumbly. Add the vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined. Once all the dry ingredients are moistened, turn the mixer off and scrape the bowl.
25. Continue to mix the icing on low speed until the icing is light in color and holds a stiff peak, 3-5 minutes. It's very important that you don't over mix the icing. Use this stiff consistency icing as-is or add more water to create flood or medium consistency icing. To save the icing for later, transfer it to a container, cover with a layer of plastic film touching the surface, and cover securely with a lid. Refrigerate for up to 10 days. Mix the icing well by hand when you're ready to use it.