The Ninth Day of Christmas Cookies: Sugar Cookies (Alton Brown) with Royal Icing (Nigella Lawson)

Sugar cookies are synonymous with several holidays, but none more than Christmas (at least in the Clark household). In fact, when my kids were smaller, they understood that the only cure for the “grinch bug” was sugar cookies. Just the mention of that cure could often turn a frown upside down.

I like my sugar cookies soft and thick, and I like them best when the frosting on the cookie has just crusted over.

For years I’ve faithfully used Alton Brown’s sugar cookie recipe for the dough. Recently, I’ve started playing with adding almond extract to the mixture.

For frosting, I prefer Nigella Lawson’s royal icing.

Sugar Cookies (Alton Brown)

3        cups all-purpose flour

3/4    teaspoon baking powder

1/4     teaspoon salt

1         cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1        cup sugar

1        egg, beaten

1        tablespoon milk

1/2    teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Powdered sugar, for rolling out the dough

Directions

1.       Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours..

2.       Preheat oven to 375 °F.

3.       Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick (mine are typically just under ½-inch thick). Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.  

Royal Icing (Nigella Lawson)

2        large egg whites (or substitute powdered egg whites)

3        cups confectioners' sugar

1         teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1.       Combine the egg whites and confectioners' sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice, this will thin out the icing. Beat for another couple of minutes until you reach the right spreading consistency.