Sugar Cookies by Jennifer H.

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

Preheat oven to 400.  In large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time.

Dough will be stiff - blend last flour by hand.  Do not chill dough.

Divide dough into 2 balls.  Roll out on floured surface until 1/8 inch thick.  Cut out shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie cheets for 7 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool

Royal Icing

2 lb. powdered sugar

3 heaping Tb. dehydrated egg whites (I use "Just Whites".  You can buy it at Maceys)

1 tsp clear vanilla

cold water

Place 1 lb. powdered sugar in mixing bowl.  Add egg whites and mix into sugar well.  Add about 1/3 c. cold water and blend.  Add rest of sugar and more water in small amounts until frosting reaches a consistency that will hold its shape when squeezed through a decorating bag.  Separate frosting in multiple bowls and add color as desired.  To decorate cookies, place frosting in bag with desired tip and pipe around the edges of cookies.  In another bowl, combine frosting with water until the consistency is like syrup but not too runny.  Carefully place frosting in cookie and "flood" cookie until you have filled in the center of the areas you piped.  (I use a plastic spoon to gently coax frosting to every spot on the cookie).

Be careful not to add too much and overflow the cookie.  When the icing has set, you can once more take the frosting in bags and decorate over the top of the icing.  Let dry before stacking.  Note:

royal icing is known for the pretty things you can do with it, not for being the yummiest frosting.  If you wish, you can add a teaspoon of mint, orange, almond or any other extract to help compliment the taste of your cookies.