Recipe shared courtesy of Blair Lonergan. The only sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever need! These easy bakery-style treats are soft, thick and perfect for decorating.
In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine. Add vanilla extract and and almond extract; mix until incorporated.
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of lightly-floured parchment paper or a lightly-floured silicone mat. With a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems sticky.
Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Carefully remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Arrange the shapes about 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
You can re-roll the dough scraps to cut out additional cookies, but you will need to chill the cut-out dough on the baking sheets in the fridge or freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking. This will give the dough a chance to firm up again so that the cookies don’t spread in the oven.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with royal icing.
In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, milk and egg whites with an electric mixer until thick and glossy. Add more powdered sugar if the icing seems too thin (the size of the eggs can affect consistency). Just play with it until it’s right. The icing should be stiff enough to “stand still” and not run when piped.
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