Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 g) caster sugar (fine granulated)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) almond extract (optional)
  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 cups (480 g) icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
  • 3 tbsp (25 g) meringue powder
  • 6 - 8 tbsp (90 - 120 ml) warm water or milk
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) light corn syrup (optional, for shine)
  • Gel food colouring, as needed

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Dry and Wet Mix: Whisk the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a stand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and almond extracts until just combined.
  2. Form Dough: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the flour is barely incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. Overmixing will cause tough, spreading cookies.
  3. First Chill: Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten into discs, wrap tightly in cling film, and refrigerate for a minimum of 1.5 hours, or up to 3 days. This crucial chill prevents spreading.
  4. Roll and Cut: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line trays with parchment. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a consistent thickness of 1/4 inch (6mm). Cut shapes and transfer the parchment with the cut-outs onto a baking tray.
  5. Second Chill: Place the baking tray with the cut-out shapes in the freezer for 10 minutes or the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking. Do not skip this step.
  6. Bake and Cool: Bake for 8–10 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. Cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly golden. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Prepare Royal Icing: In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk meringue powder and warm water until slightly frothy. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and corn syrup. Beat until the icing forms stiff peaks (5-7 minutes) for Piping Consistency.
  8. Decorate: To create Flooding Consistency, thin a portion of the stiff icing with water (1/2 teaspoon at a time) until it smooths itself out after 10-12 seconds. Divide and color icing. Use stiff icing to outline cooled cookies, then use flooding icing to fill the borders. Allow decorated cookies to dry completely (4-8 hours).