Classic Sugar Cookies

Directions

For the classic sugar cookies

1. In a bowl of a standing mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth.
2. Beat in egg, one at a time. Add Neilson 18% Table Cream and vanilla and beat until well-incorporated.
3. With the mixer on slow, add the flour. Mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
4. If the dough is too soft as this point, chill the dough in the refrigerator until dough is not too sticky to the touch.
5. Roll out the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼ inch in thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
6. Chill the cut outs in the fridge for at least an hour to prevent the cookies from spreading when baking.
7. Bake at 160°C (315°F) for 12 - 14 minutes, just until the edges are golden brown (smaller cookies will require less time).
8. Let cookies cool completely before decorating with royal icing.

For the royal icing

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until no lumps of sugar remain.
2. Portion out icing into smaller bowls and colour with gel food colouring.
3. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip with the thicker icing and outline a border onto your cookie. This creates the ‘dam’ for your cookie.
4. Fill the cookie with the thinner icing of the same colour — this step is called ‘flooding’ the cookie. Use the back of a small spoon or spatula to help smooth out the surface.
5. Once the icing has hardened, use thicker icing of different colours to decorate your cookie.
6. Let cookies completely dry before stacking.

A recipe developed by our foodie influencer @constellationinspiration