Sugar cookies with royal icing

Ingredients:

Cookie

• 2.5 cups premium wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp finely grated orange zest
• Coarse sugar, sprinkle sugar or sugar crystals
• Royal icing, see recipe below

Royal icing

• 5 tbsp. dry egg white
• 6 tablespoons of water
• 450g powdered sugar (about 3 and 3/4-4 cups)
• Food coloring optional

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In another medium bowl, beat the butter and both sugars with a mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and orange zest, beating until smooth. Slowly fold in the flour mixture and continue beating until the dough forms a ball. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
3. For round cookies: Using your hands, roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball. Dip one side of the ball in coarse sugar and place it sugar-side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Space the cookies 2.5 cm apart.
4. For sliced ​​cookies: Separate half of the dough, roll it into a 5 cm wide log with your hands, wrap it in cling film and put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until the dough hardens.
5. Cut the log into 0.6 cm thick slices and place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 2.5 cm apart.
6. For the shaped cookies: Divide the dough in half, form into a disk, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.
7. Roll the dough between two floured sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 0.8 cm. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until firm. Cut out various shapes using cookie cutters and place them on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 2.5 cm apart. (Gather any remaining dough, shape it into a disk, chill, and roll it out again.)
8. While the oven is heating up to 190C, put the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
9. Bake homemade cookies Bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the pan. Cool on the baking sheet until firm enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Decorate as desired and serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
10. Royal icing:
    
    In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients except the food coloring using the pastry beater attachment. Beat slowly until peaks form. The icing should be snow-white and thick, but not fluffy. If you beat the icing too long, it will become too airy and difficult to work with. If this happens, allow the egg whites to settle, then vigorously beat the icing with a silicone spatula until smooth.
11. You can combine the ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on low speed until thick and stiff peaks form.
12. Add no more than 1 tablespoon of food coloring and stir with a silicone spatula until the color is uniform. (If you add too much food coloring, the surface of the glaze will lose its shine and may crack after a couple of days.) Store the glaze covered with plastic wrap.
    
    Yield: 450 g royal icing (1 and 2/3 cups)