So each year during Mom’s weekend, I make my own holiday cookie. And each year they get better.  I love the cutout sugar cookies and have been perfecting my techniques each year. (Mind you, I only do these during the holidays.)

This year I decided on Christmas trees and reindeers.  I read many different blogs about recipes for royal icing and flooding techniques.  I took all of the info I found and picked the bits I could work with and did my thing.

Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

5 c. cake flour, sifted

In a large mixing bowl combine butter, shortening and sugar, beat until fluffy.  Turn mixer down to the second to lowest setting and add egg and vanilla.  Add flour 1 cup at a time until mixed thoroughly.

Lightly flour your working surface and shape dough into a large ball.

Roll dough out to ¼ inch and cut into
shapes.  Add flour to dough if it feels sticky transfer cookie shapes with a spatula to a baking sheet. Bake on parchment paper or light baking sheets at 350 degrees for 10-12
minutes. Cookies will be soft.

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Royal Icing recipe

2lbs {1 bag} confectioner’s sugar

1/2 c. meringue powder

¾ – 1 c. warm water

2 teaspoons lemon juice (or any oil free flavored extract)

Add the dry ingredients, make sure meringue powder and sugar are combined well.

Add the lemon juice to the water and slowly add to the dry ingredients while mixing. At first the icing will be very liquid like.

Continue to mix it at medium to high speed until it is fluffy and stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes. Mixing times are approximate, stop mixing as soon as it becomes stiff.

*Over mixing and oil based extracts will keep icing from setting up