Cookie Dough

1. Preheat your oven to 350⁰F (175⁰C).
2. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies are easy to remove and the bottoms don’t overbrown.
3. Add 1 c softened unsalted butter and 1 c granulated white sugar to the bowl of your mixer.
4. Beat for at least 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Don’t rush this part because properly creamed butter and sugar help give the cookies a lovely texture.
5. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract, and 1 large egg until well combined.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 tsp baking powder and 3 c all-purpose flour.
7. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, mixing between additions. The dough will become quite stiff. That’s normal.
8. If your mixer starts struggling with the dough, stop mixing.
9. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and gently knead it by hand just until everything comes together. You don’t want to overwork it.
10. Don’t chill the dough. Divide the dough into smaller, workable portions and roll each portion on a lightly floured surface.
11. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Try not to roll it as thin as 1/8 inch because these cookies are much nicer when they have a little thickness to them.
12. Cut the dough using your favourite Easter cookie cutters and carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room between them.
13. Gather the scraps, gently press them together and roll again. Try not to knead the scraps over and over, or the cookies can become tougher.
14. Bake the cookies at 350⁰F (175⁰C) for 6 to 8 minutes.
15. If you’re making these for the first time, bake one small test cookie for 6 minutes. The cookie should still look soft, and the edges should not be brown.
16. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
17. If you bake them for 7 to 8 minutes and the edges begin to brown, the cookies will be firmer and crisper. For softer sugar cookies, take them out while they’re still pale and just set.

Royal Glaze Icing

1. Add 2 1/2 c sifted icing sugar, 2 tbsp light corn syrup, and 1 tbsp milk to a bowl.
2. Stir everything together with a fork or small whisk until smooth.
3. Add the remaining 1 tbsp milk a little at a time if the icing is too thick.
4. If the icing becomes too thin, add a little more sifted icing sugar.
5. You want a smooth icing that can be spread or piped onto the cookies without running everywhere.
6. Divide the icing into small bowls and add food colouring to match your Easter designs. Keep the bowls covered with plastic wrap or a damp cloth while you work so the surface doesn’t dry out.
7. Make sure the cookies are completely cool before decorating. If they’re even slightly warm, the icing can soften and run.
8. Decorate the cookies as simply or as elaborately as you like. Let the icing set completely before stacking or storing the cookies