These simple Christmas angel cut out cookies uses our no-fail sugar cookie recipe so they don't spread and always hold their shape. And they look beautiful on a cookie tray.
Coupler (optional) - helps to keep icing from leaking
Ingredients
Cut out cookies
1egg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
¼teaspoonalmond extract
2½cupsall-purpose flour
¼teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
¾teaspoonsalt
1cupgranulated sugar
1cup2 sticks cold unsalted butter
1packagewhite sprinkles and/or sanding sugar
Royal icing
4cups (or 1 pound)icing sugar
3Tablespoonsmeringue
1teaspoonvanilla extract
½cupWARM water
Instructions
Cut out cookies
In a small bowl, beat an egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and ¾ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix together 2½ cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon baking powder. Set aside.
Cut 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold butter into ½ inch chunks.
In a food processor, process the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until combined, about 30 seconds.
Add in the egg mixture. Process until combined, about 10 seconds.
Then add the flour mixture and process until all of the flour is combined, about 30 seconds.
Divide the dough in half.
Place a piece of parchment paper underneath and on top of the first ball of dough.
With a rolling pin, roll the cookie dough out between the pieces of parchment paper. It should be about 1/8" thick .
Place the rolled-out dough on a large platter or cookie sheet with the parchment paper left in place.
Repeat with the other ball of dough.
Refrigerate the two sheets of rolled out dough for 1½ hours, or freeze for 30 minutes.
When the cookie dough is stiff, take the first sheet of cookie dough out of the refrigerator.
Peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Then use the candy cane cookie cutter to cut shapes in the cookie dough.
Repeat the process with the second sheet of cookie dough.
If the cookie dough has softened, refrigerate it for another 30 minutes or until the it is stiff. This will make it much easier to remove the cookies while keeping their shape.
Use a thin spatula (or a cake knife) to separate the cookies from the bottom layer of parchment paper.
Put another piece of parchment paper down on a cookie sheet.
Then lay out the cookies about ½ inch apart on the baking sheet.
Bake at 300℉ for 10 to 15 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are slightly brown.
Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Then move to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Repeat with the other sheet of cut-out cookies.
Roll out the extra dough to create another batch of cookies.
How to make white royal icing
Mix 4 cups icing sugar, 3 Tablespoons meringue powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ½ cup of WARM water in a stand mixer on low speed
Once they are combined, increase to medium speed.
Mix for 5 to 8 minutes until the icing forms soft peaks.
How to decorate angel cut out cookies
Put the white icing in a piping bag with a #3, #4 or #5 piping tip attached.
Draw an outline around the edge of the angel cookie.
Flood (fill in) the middle of the cookie with icing.
Use a knife or toothpick to spread the icing into any gaps.
While the icing is still wet, sprinkle sanding sugar or white sprinkles over the top.
Let the cookies stand for a few hours so the icing will dry before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Covering the cookie sheet with parchment paper prevents the cookies from spreading which helps to keep their shape.
Only bake 1 sheet of cookies at a time since stacking them in the oven will cause uneven heating
To keep the cookies looking good when storing, separate each layer with a piece of parchment paper.