Sugar Cookies for Easter!

No other cookie could ever compete with a sugar cookie! I mean, you can literally make any design or theme you want, use a variety of bright colours and techniques, and make them an incredibly personalised treat for any occasion. My love for sugar cookies goes way back. I remember being about 8 years old when this new trend started and you'd see these marvellous creations at countless bakery window displays and birthday parties (At least in America, which is where we were living at the moment). As an earnest baking enthusiast, I simply had to learn how to make them. My mum and I found a course at Cambridge Culinary in Boston, and decided to enrol immediately, and ever since it has been a tradition of ours to make them on several occasions, including Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentines...you name it!

Since most of us have a lot of time on our hands at the moment, and looking for new hobbies, I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce this passion of ours! 

The Recipe!

• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter 
• 85 grams of cream cheese 
• 170 grams sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 350 grams of all purpose flour

Method
Mix the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 or 3 minutes or until the butter and cream cheese are blended. Scrape the bowl. 

Add the sugar. Continue to blend on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.

Add the egg, mixing on low thoroughly blended. Scrape the bowl.

Add the flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix until just incorporated. Do not over-mix, or the dough will toughen

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Cover each part in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Spread out your dough and cut your cookies with your desired cookie cookie cutter shapes. 
Here's where I got mine: Rabbit, Egg, Basket 
Bake at 190 C or 375 F . Bake from 9 to 11 minutes, or until they are a little brown around the edges

Let's get to decorating !

To decorate your cookies, you will need Royal Icing, and heres how to make it:

• Beat 450 grams of powdered sugar with 4 egg whites. The result should be a bright white and thick. Use water or lemon juice to thin it out...I'll get more into this in a bit !

First of all, when it comes to royal icing for decorating cookies, the consistency is SO important!
You want to start out by making your icing as stiff as possible. Whip it for a long time so it gets lots of air in it. 
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Then, divide and scoop a little into small bowls, and tint it with your desired icing colours.

If you are making a royal icing to decorate cookies, I advise you aim for 2 different consistencies: one that’s pretty thin for flooding, and one that’s just a little thicker for the outlining. 
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Don't worry if this sounds like a bit much! When I started making these, I would just apply icing onto the cookie with a spoon and top with some sprinkles. Feel free to do that as well if you wish. The whole point here is to have fun!

Thank you for making it to the end of this recipe!

Have a very Happy Easter and stay safe at home!

Xx,

Tatiana