Christmas Cookies

A couple nights ago I got the bug to make Christmas cookies at like 11 pm, so I obviously had to heed that calling and make a batch.  I've never really made sugar cookies on my own before, though I'm sure I've done it with my mom, or at a cookie decorating party or something.  They're super simple and only require a few ingredients, which is nice.  I remember we used to get a canister full of fancy sugar cookies from a family friend every Christmas season and they were just so delicious.  I don't know if these ended up being as delicious, simply because those have that mystical quality of childhood memory, but they are some damn good Christmas cookies!

Last night I was a total idiot and got completely dressed up, make-up done, and was about to leave for a Christmas party, and when I went on facebook to check the address of the party... I noticed that the party was scheduled for tonight.  So there I was, sitting in my living room, looking super fancy, with all the lights turned off because I was about to leave.  Felt kind of like a scene from an 80's Molly Ringwald movie.  So instead of going to a party,  I took a bubble bath and then made even more cookies.  Okay, that part would probably be in the Molly Ringwald movie too.

I think the cookies turned out pretty fancy!  This is the first batch, when I forgot to put sprinkles on, but I remembered to put sprinkles on the batch I made last night.  

Cookie Ingredients (makes appx 2 dozen)

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Frosting Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1/ Cream together the butter and sugar.

2/ Next, mix in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.

3/ Stir in the flour and salt until dough forms.

4/ Form a ball from the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about a couple hours) or overnight.

5/ Preheat your oven to 375F. Lightly flour your countertop and roll out the dough until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your cookie shapes with cookie cutters.

6/ Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and pop it in the freezer for about 5 minutes (optional but this will help the cookies keep their shape!). Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

7/ Make the frosting! In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until combined. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. (The right consistency to cover or "flood" sugar cookies is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface for a few seconds before disappearing. Another test is to take a cookie and place a small amount of icing in the center of the cookie. Using a small knife, push the icing to the edge of the cookie. If the icing runs off the edge, thicken the icing by adding a little more confectioner’s sugar. Conversely, if the icing is too thick, add a little water.) Add a couple drops of food coloring to your frosting if you want colored frosting!

The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

I don't have a frosting piping bag, so I just put the frosting in ziplock bags and snip the tip off a tiny bit and pipe it on like that.  I first pipe an outline around every cookie, and then go back and fill them in.  If you want to add sprinkles, make sure you add them as you frost, because the royal icing hardens relatively quickly.  I can't wait to package these up and send them off to some special people!