Sugar Cookies

Ok so my new obsession has been sugar cookies. It all started when my mom came in town for the weekend and we baked and decorated sugar cookies ALL weekend. No joke. We worked Saturday night until 2am. *worked*....hah. We were on a mission to find the perfect sugar cookie and the perfect icing. After much taste testing, here's what I'm sticking to:

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on baking sheets (no need to spray the cookie sheet!)and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

And now the wonderful ICING recipe:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 teaspoons milk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

In a bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup. I'll also add a splash of more milk or almond extract to thin the icing down if needed. I usually go with the almond because I absolutely LOVE almond extract. If you touch the icing with your finger tip, you want it to hold a peak for about 10 seconds, and then flatten down. Divide into separate bowls and add your food colorings!

Now to decorate, you can either use the little plastic bottles they sell at craft stores on the baking isle, or you can use icing bags and pipes. I use both. If you use the bags, make sure you have a #1 or #2 tip, otherwise the icing is just going to pour out the tip and make a mess. Trust me. I know.

Now when you're decorating, just outline your cookie, let it dry, and then "flood" the desired area in with more icing. Happy baking!
Just for fun, here's a snapshot of a few of the hunded cookies that came from my mom and I's weekend...