Recipes

Royal Icing with Meringue Powder

2 pound confectioners sugar

5 TBS meringue powder

1/2 c warm water (plus more for thinning the icing later)

1 tsp clear vanilla

1 tsp additional flavoring ( I like almond)

1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional)

1 tbs corn syrup (optional)

Combine warm water, meringue powder and cream of tartar and beat about 1 min. on high speed. Add vanilla, another flavor and corn syrup and beat on medium speed about 30 s. Add sugar powder gradually and beat on medium speed about 1 min.

Icing should be very thick.

Place the icing in a plastic container, cover with wrap and close the lid. Icing can be stored in the refrigerator for more than 3 weeks. To achieve the desired consistency for decorating cookies just add water.

Sugar cookie recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour,

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar,

pinch of salt,

1 large egg

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

Directions:

- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  This should take about 3 minutes.

- Add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or so.

- Add the flour mixture slowly.  

(Be careful not to add too much at a time or you will have a snowstorm of flour.)

- Blend until all of the flour is incorporated and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

- Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a piece of parchment paper.  

- Using your hands, knead the dough a few times.

- Place the dough in a large plastic (ziplock type) bag and refrigerate for about 2 hours. 

- When it's almost time to remove the dough from the refrigerator, 

preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

- When the dough has chilled and is firm, take out about half of the dough, leaving the rest in the refrigerator (until your ready to work with it). 

Bake cookies on middle rack of oven for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. 

Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

(by smittenkitchen)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup lightly salted butter, softened (I used one stick salted, one stick unsalted)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Whisk dry flour, salt and baking powder in bowl and set aside. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa in mixer. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out cookie dough on floured counter. Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra deposits of flour off the top. (It does disappear once baked, though, so don’t overly fret if they go into the oven looking white.) Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8 to 11 minutes (the former for 1/8-inch thick cookies, the latter for 1/4-inch cookies) until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Amanda's Amazing Sugar Cookies 

1-½ cup Butter (I Use Unsalted)

2 cups Sugar

2 whole Eggs

2 whole Eggs Yolks

4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 teaspoons Almond Extract

4 cups All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes. 

Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks and mix until combined. 

Add in vanilla and almond extract; mix until combined. 

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add flour to butter mixture and combine. You can use a mixer or not, just depends on how strong you are. 

I usually just mix ingredients until they are combined, as I have heard that if you over-mix this dough it will get tough. 

Put dough in some Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out, cut out cookies, and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Chocolate Cookies Recipe 

(by LilaLoa)

1 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup cocoa

3 or 3 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add baking powder and salt and mix again. Stir in the cocoa until well blended. Add flour 1 cup at a time. IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE COOKIES RIGHT AWAY, ADD 3 1/2 cups flour. If you are going to "chill" the dough, or just wait for another day to make your cookies, STOP AT 3 cups. It will be totally soft and look all wrong, and you will want to ignore me completely and add more flour, but I'm telling you -- DON'T DO IT. Practice self-restraint. You will be glad you did, and I will be proud of you. Roll out on lightly floured surface. Bake at 375 F for 6 1/2 minutes. 

Meringue Powder Buttercream

1/3 cup water

3 T. meringue powder

½ cup shortening

4 ½ cups powdered sugar (1 lb. 3 oz. If you have a scale)1 tsp. vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want a pure white icing)

¼ tsp. almond extract

Place half of the powdered sugar and the meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk together well. Turn on mixer (use whip attachment) and, while motor is running, slowly stream in the water. Mix until everything is incorporated. Turn mixer to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form. Add flavorings and mix well. Change to paddle attachment (for stand mixer) or dough hook (for Bosch). If using a hand mixer, use the same beaters you were using before. Add remaining powdered sugar and shortening and whip for 2-3 minutes more.

Note: Don't skimp on the whipping time after adding the shortening. You really need to whip it well to prevent separation later.

Glaze

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons milk (or water)
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring

In a small bowl stir together confectioner's sugar and milk until smooth. Beat corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup. Divide into separate bowls and add food colorings to each to desired intensity.

Royal icing...

1 egg white

3 cups powdered sugar

3-5 drops (or more)  of lemon juice

1 / 4 teaspoon cream of tartar

almond extract if desired

While rubbing in egg white, gradually add sugar (do not beat egg whites). At the end put cream of tartar, lemon juice and essence. Consistency should not be too thick, but not liquid.