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For Sugar Cookies: In
a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer
(or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about
3 to 4 minutes). Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract and beat until
combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for about one hour (or overnight) or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177
degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with
parchment paper.
Remove the chilled dough from the
refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a
thickness of 1/4 inch (.6 cm). (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure
the dough does not stick to the counter.) Cut out shapes using a lightly
floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Place
the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15
minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing
their shape while baking.
Note: If you are not going to
frost the baked cookies, you may want to sprinkle the unbaked cookies with
colored crystal or sparkling sugar.
Bake cookies for about 8-10
minutes (depending on size) or until they are just beginning to brown around the
edges. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few
minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Frost with royal
icing and sparking sugar, if desired. Be sure to let the royal icing dry
completely before storing. (This may take several hours.)
Frosted cookies will keep several
days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax
paper.
Makes about 20 - 3 inch cookies.
For Royal Icing with Egg
Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer),
beat the egg white with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar
and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used
immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when
exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
For Royal Icing with Meringue
Powder: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or
with a hand mixer), beat
the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and
beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (about 4 to 7
minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered
sugar or water. To cover or 'flood' the entire surface of the
cookie with icing, the proper consistency is when you lift the beater, the
ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the
icing for a few seconds before disappearing.
The icing needs to be used
immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when
exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
References:
Ojakangas, Beatrice. The Great
Holiday Baking Book. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis: 1994.
Pappas, Lou Seibert. 'the Christmas
Cookie Book'. Chronicle Books. New York: 2000.
Yard, Sherry. 'The Secrets of
Baking'. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York: 2003.
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