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Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
⅔ cup sour cream 5-14%
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all purpose flour 520 grams
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Royal Icing
3 cups powdered icing sugar
2½ tablespoons meringue powder
4 tablespoons water (up to 6 tablespoons if necessary)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or another extract)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes.
Add sour cream, egg and vanilla and beat until combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined. A slightly soft dough should form.
Optional: you can chill this dough for 1 hour or overnight if you prefer, and it will be a little easier to work with. This isn't necessary though, and the cookies will still keep their shape even if baked right away.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Roll out cookie dough on a large piece of lightly floured wax paper to ¼"-⅓" thickness (you can dust with a tiny bit of flour if necessary — don't overdo it! If it is too sticky to roll, sprinkle a little flour on top — the smallest amount possible). Cut out desired shapes and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. OPTIONAL: chill in freezer for 5 minutes before baking for more crisp edges.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, until they look slightly puffed and dry but are not yet browning at the edges. Don’t overbake or they will become hard — they may look slightly underdone in the center but will set up as they cool.
Let cool completely before frosting.
Royal Icing
In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, meringue powder, water and vanilla.
Add 1 teaspoon of water at a time if necessary until the icing is smooth.
Hold up the whisk and drizzle some icing over the top — the drizzles should stay on top of the icing for 3-4 seconds before settling back in. The consistency of the icing is important but a little thicker or thinner isn't a huge deal! You can adjust the consistency as needed while you are icing the cookies. If you find it too thick to get that smooth look, add a tiny bit of water until it is thin enough. If you find it too thin and it spreads too easily, add a bit more powdered sugar.
To color the frosting, divide into several small bowls and add food coloring to each bowl. Gel frosting is best, but liquid coloring works as well for pastel colors. If using liquid coloring and you add a lot, you may need to add powdered sugar to thicken the frosting again. Cover each color with plastic wrap when you are not using it to keep it from hardening.
To color the background with icing, you can either use a piping bag and go around the outer edge before filling, or just use a spoon. To use a spoon, scoop a small amount of icing into the middle of the cookie and slowly spread it to the edge.
To make designs on top, allow the first coat of icing to harden for 20-30 minutes. Thicken the frosting with additional powdered sugar (you want it pretty firm). Use a fine tip piping tip to make intricate designs. Experiment and have fun!
Frosted cookies can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days, refrigerated for up to 7 days, or stored in the freezer with parchment paper between the layers for up to 3 months.
