These no-spread sugar cookies are softer and more tender than the usual. Plus, we decorate them with a simple, yet stunning royal icing.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cookies, no-spread, royal icing, sugar cookie
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Decorating/Resting Time 2 hourshours45 minutesminutes
Total Time 4 hourshours
Servings 323" round cookies
Ingredients
No-Spread Sugar Cookies
3cupsall-purpose flour
¼cupcornstarch
¾tspsalt
½cuproom temperature butter (1 stick)
4tbsproom temperature cream cheese
¾cupwhite sugar
2eggs
1tspvanilla bean paste or extract
1tspalmond extract
Royal Icing
8cupspowdered sugar
½tspcream tartar
12tbsppasteurized egg whites (make sure the carton indicates "pasteurized")
1tbspvanilla extract
Instructions
No-Spread Sugar Cookies
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour, corn starch, and salt.
Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar together for 4-5 minutes. Then, add the eggs one at a time, finishing with the vanilla and almond extracts.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a spatula until a dough forms.
Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, kneading it together a few times into a flattened disc shape. Wrap tightly and let chill in the freeze for 30-45 minutes.
Roll the dough out on the silicone baking mat to about ½-inch thick. Cut out your cookies with the cookie cutters, placing them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. If the dough starts to get too soft, put it back in the freezer to firm up for a few minutes.
Before baking, place the whole cookie sheet into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Then, bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes. The edges will turn slightly golden when done. Larger cookies may take a little longer than small ones, so watch the cookies carefully.
Let the cookies cool on the wire rack completely before icing.
Royal Icing
Mix the cream of tartar and powdered sugar together. Add the egg whites, and mix by hand to moisten.
Then, with the whisk attachment, turn your mixer on low and beat for a minute. Turn the mixer up to high, and continue to beat for 2-3 minutes.
Add your vanilla, and mix to combine.
Immediately cover the surface of the icing with plastic wrap any time you aren't using it.