Buttery Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter at room temperature *
2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
*If you don't have cake flour, you can make it by substituting 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for each cup in the recipe.
Directions:
Combine all ingredients using your hands until they are blended to a soft pliable dough. Roll out to 3/8" to 1/2" and cut out with your favorite cookie cutters.
Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before icing.
Royal Icing
Ingredients:
1 pound powdered sugar
5 tablespoons meringue powder
Directions:
Put sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add a scant 1/2 cup of water, beat on low until thick and fluffy (7-8 minutes). You can also add a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the water if you prefer.
Use icing immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days. Stir icing before using.
-Use the icing as is for gluing cookies together if desired
-Add 1 teaspoon water and combine to outline the cookies
-Add 1 teaspoon water and combine for writing
-Add 1 teaspoon water and combine for icing the cookies (flow)
Tips:
-Make sure the icing will lay flat on your cookie by pulling a spoonful out of the container and dripping back in. It should be thick and surface of the icing should smooth back out.
-Use icing squeeze bottles to outline the cookies and ice them.
-To keep the squeeze bottles from getting hard icing, lean them with the tips down in a container with wet paper towel in the bottom.
ALWAYS keep your containers covered...this stuff turns into cement pretty fast!
I hope you try these out! Let me know if you do, I'd love to see your creations (:
xoxo,
Sarah