Ingredients
Method
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until perfectly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. While this recipe utilizes a stand mixer, if you're looking for simplified cleanup on non-holiday baking days, explore our one bowl cookie techniques.Step 2: Incorporating the Dry Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions. Mix only until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in a tough cookie.Step 3: Rolling and Chilling the Dough
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place one portion onto a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Roll the dough out to an even ¼-inch thickness. Leaving the dough on the parchment, transfer it to a baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling the dough after rolling it out prevents the cookies from shrinking when cut.Step 4: Cutting and Baking
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and use your favorite festive cookie cutters to press firmly into the dough. Peel away the excess dough scraps (which can be re-rolled once). Transfer the parchment paper with the cutouts directly onto your baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.Step 5: Preparing the Royal Icing
In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 5 tablespoons of warm water and beat on high speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes. The icing should form stiff peaks. This is your "piping" or "outline" consistency.Step 6: Flooding and Decorating
Divide the stiff icing into separate bowls to color them using gel food coloring. Scoop a small amount of stiff icing into a piping bag to outline your cookies. Then, add water drop by drop to the remaining colored icing until it reaches "flood" consistency—it should smooth itself out in 15 seconds when drizzled over itself. Pour this into a separate piping bag, snip the tip, and fill the inside of your outlined cookies. Use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles.