Sweets Recipe

Prepare

Bring butter and egg to room temperature (about 30 minutes) so they incorporate smoothly. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the bowl once to ensure even mixing.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed just until a cohesive dough forms. Do not overmix; stop when no streaks of flour remain.

If the dough feels too soft to roll, divide it in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes. Chilling firms the dough and prevents spreading during baking.

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut desired shapes. Transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheets placing them about 1 inch apart.

If you plan to add sanding sugar, lightly brush the tops of the cut cookies with a tiny amount of water or egg wash and sprinkle sugar before baking.

Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8–12 minutes, depending on size and thickness, until the edges are just set and bottoms are lightly golden. Rotate the pans halfway through baking for even color.

Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl to remove lumps.

Add the pasteurized egg white or meringue powder and 2 teaspoons of warm water to the sifted sugar. Whisk or beat on low speed until combined. Add additional water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until you reach desired consistency.

For outlining details or thicker decorations, aim for a stiff consistency (holds a peaked line). For flooding (covering cookie surfaces), thin to a slightly runny 'honey' consistency that levels within 10–20 seconds. To test, drag a spoon through the icing: the line should smooth out in about 10–15 seconds for flood icing.

Divide icing into small bowls and tint with food coloring as desired. Transfer to piping bags fitted with small round tips (2–3 mm) for outlines and slightly larger openings for flooding, or use squeeze bottles for convenience.

Pipe an outline on each cookie and allow the outline to set 5–10 minutes. Then flood the inside with thinner icing and use a toothpick to spread icing into corners or to pop air bubbles.

Decorate further with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or drizzled melted chocolate while icing is wet if you want them to adhere. Allow decorated cookies to dry at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or overnight for fully set royal icing.

If using melted chocolate, melt chocolate in short bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies using a fork or a piping bag and let it set.

Store fully cooled and decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Separate layers with parchment paper. Cookies will keep 5–7 days; icing may slightly soften over time.

For gifting, stack cookies in a box with layers of tissue or parchment and keep in a cool, dry place.