It's Springtime and what better cookie to embrace the purity and sweetness of Spring than a soft sugar cookie?! This sugar cookie is delicious and perfect for holidays (year round!), special events, or just for a surprise treat. Colorful and festive, yet easy to bake up. You'll love this cookie and so will everyone else!
Prep Time: 20 mins. prep / Bake: 15 mins. / Cooling Time: 15 mins. / yields 24 cookies.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH:
2 Sticks of Butter (8 ounces), semi-soft but still cool
1 Cup Sugar
2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 1/4 teaspoons of Kosher Salt
2 Large Eggs, the egg whites only
2 Tablespoons of heavy cream
2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
2 3/4 Cups of Bleached Cake Flour (such as Swans Down)
FOR THE FROSTING:
2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Assorted Food Coloring, Nonpareils, Sprinkles For Decorating (OPTIONAL)
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEPS 1-8: Making Cookies and STEPS 9-11: Icing Cookies --
1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mat.
3) You will need a 2-Tablespoon cookie scoop for easy scooping and should drop your dough about 2 inches apart.
TIP: The dough is a little sticky. If sticking too much to your scooper, rinse scoop in hot water to help get a clean release.
NOTE: The dough will bake in the scoop shape, high and thick. If you prefer a flatter cookie, gently pat the dough down with your fingers to flatten the dough to your preferred size. Also remember, the flatter the cookie, watch your baking time by a minute or two.
4) With a stand or hand mixer, combine butter, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix at low speed to moisten, then increase speed and beat until fluffy, pale ivory, and soft (about 5 mins.).
5) Whisk egg whites, cream, and vanilla in a glass bowl and then add liquid to the mixture and mix (pausing to scrape the bowl).
6) Decrease mixer to low speed, sprinkle in cake flour, continuing to mix to form a soft dough.
NOTE: Fold batter a few times with a spatula to ensure all is mixed well from the bottom of the bowl to up.
6) With a 2-Tablespoon cookie scoop (your scoop size can vary but please factor in bake time for your selected size, smaller cookies need a little less baking time) scoop your dough and drop your dough about 2 inches apart.
7) Bake for about 15 minutes, until puffed and pale overall, but just barely golden around the edges.
8) Cool Directly on bake pans for approximately 15 minutes or until the cookie is fully cooled.
9) NOW LET'S GET ICING! -- with a bowl or hand mixer, combine powdered sugar, salt, cream, and vanilla. (if you feel your icing is too thick for your liking, very slowly add a little extra cream -- slowly and very little at a time...).
10) Mix at low speed to moisten, then increase speed to medium and beat until creamy and soft.
11) Using a spatula, scrape frosting into a small bowl, or as many bowls as you would like colors, mix in your food coloring (if opting for colored icing), ice and decorate! Have fun! To have crusty frosting, let cookies stand at room temperature. Store in an airtight container with wax paper between each layer. Cookies store up to 4 days at room temperature.
NOTE: If you've made your icing but are not using it right away, icing can be kept soft by covering with a plastic pressed directly against the surface. Set aside until needed, up to 24 hours at room temperature.
ENJOY!:)