Halloween Sugar Cookies

One of my favorite things about fall is the excuse to eat so many sweets. Every year I look forward to all the sweets that come with this time of year. Therefore I decided it was time to try my hand at making some sugar cookies. Growing up we always had chocolate chip cookies or some variation of that. We didn’t bake much else than that, I have always enjoyed a good sugar cookie. I love the simple buttery taste that goes along with this cookie. I have found my go to sugar cookie recipe now!

Mix one cup of softened unsalted butter and one cup granulated sugar in a speed mixture until combined. Add in one beaten egg and one tablespoon of milk.

Turn the mixture to low and gradually add three cups of sifted all purpose flour, 3/4 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. The best way to add the flour is a cup at a time and making sure all the flour is incorporated before adding more. Make sure not to over mix. Once the flour is fully mixed, split in half and wrap in wax paper. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle your work surface with powdered sugar and roll out dough to 1/4 inch. Only work with one section at a time, leaving the second dough section in the fridge. You don’t want the dough to get warm. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes and let cool all the way before icing.

Most every recipe I found for royal icing they called for meringue powder. I went to three different grocery store and couldn’t find it anywhere. Amazon does sell it but I didn’t want to wait two days for it to ship. So I scoured the internet and found a recipe from The Pioneer Woman with a meringue free recipe. However if you can find meringue powder it’s better. Whisk one pound confectioner’s sugar and two tablespoons meringue powder together. Add 5-6 tablespoons of water. Mix on medium high until soft glossy peaks form, it will take about fine minutes.

Though if your like me and couldn’t find meringue powder, you can make it with egg white. Mix one pound powder sugar and three egg whites together. Start off on a low speed until all the sugar is incorporated. Then add 5-6 tablespoons of water (you could also use one lemon, juiced, if you’d prefer). Mix on a medium-high for 5-6 minutes. You want to make sure that you have soft glossy peaks for the icing to hold up the best.

To add the coloring, seperate the icing that you want to color into a small bowl and add the food coloring that you’d like to get your desired color. The icing will say wet for a while, I let my cookies set out over night for the icing to full set.

SUGAR COOKIES

3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
powdered sugar, for rolling dough

1. Mix butter and sugar until light in color. Add in egg and milk, mix. With mixer on low add sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Divide in half, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for two hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar, roll out to 1/4 inch and cut to desired shapes. Bake for 7-9 minutes.

ROYAL ICING

1 pound confectioner’s sugar
3 egg whites
5-6 tablespoons water

1. Whisk sugar and egg whites on low until sugar is incorporated, add water. Mix on medium-high until soft glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes.