Cookies:
1 c. cups butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, use a mixer and cream together butter and sugar until smooth.
On slow speed, beat in egg until thoroughly incorporated.
Add vanilla.
Stir in the flour and salt.
Divide dough into 3 disks. Wrap and chill dough for at least two hours (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Like cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out disk of dough on floured surface 1/4 inch thick.
Dip cookie cutters in flour, then cut out shapes.
Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator 10 minutes to firm up.
If desired, brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with colored sugar sprinkles.
Bake 12 to 16 minutes.
Cool 1 minute on pan, then transfer to racks.
Cool completely.
Sugar Cookie Icing
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth.
Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity.
Paint cookies with a pastry brush. Let dry, then pipe on details.
NOTE: Since holidays are crunch time, you can freeze these cookies after they are cut out. Simply place them on your baking sheet and lay plastic wrap right on top of the cookies, then another sheet covering the whole sheet, and place in your freezer. When ready to bake, either leave in refrigerator for a few hours, or on the counter until they come to almost cool room temperature and bake as usual.
