Christmas Sugar Cookies

Junior Kourtney Ulmer shared a Christmas Sugar Cookie recipe she enjoys cooking during the holiday season.

Total time: Two hours and ten minutes

Quantity: 24 cookies

Ingredients for Sugar Cookie:

• Three-fourth cup softened unsalted butter, room temperature
• Three-fourth cup granulated sugar
• One egg
• Two teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• One-half teaspoon almond extract 
• Two and one-fourth cups leveled all-purpose flour
• One-half teaspoon baking powder
• One-fourth teaspoon salt

Ingredients for icing: 

• One and one-half cups powdered sugar
• One-fourth teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•  One teaspoon light corn syrup
• Two to two and one-half tablespoons water, room temperature
• One-eighth teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl use a handheld or stand mixer to beat the butter until creamed and smooth.  Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high speed until fully combined.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.  Turn the mixer down to low and add half of the flour mixture, beating until barely combined.  Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until combined.  If the dough still seems too soft, add one tablespoon of flour. 
3. Divide the dough into two equal parts.  Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment to about one-fourth inch thickness.  Stack the pieces with paper onto a baking sheet, cover lightly, and refrigerate for at least one to two hours and up to two days. 
4. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line two to three large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator and using a cookie cutter, cut it into shapes.  Transfer the cut cookie dough to the baking sheet.  Roll the remaining dough again and continue cutting.
5. Bake for ten to 12 minutes, until lightly colored on top and around the edges.  Rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time.  Allow it to cool on a baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the icing: whisk the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, corn syrup, and two tablespoons of water together in a medium bowl.  It will be very thick.  Whisk in one-half extra tablespoon of water if the icing is too thick.  If desired, add gel food coloring.  If not decorating right away, cover the icing tightly and keep it in a refrigerator for up to two days.
7. Decorate the cooled cookies to preference.
8. Let the icing dry for 24 hours. 
9. Cover and store decorated cookies for up to five days at room temperature or up to ten days in a refrigerator.

Featured Image Courtesy of sallysbakingaddiction.com