Classic Cut-out Sugar Cookie ~ Chocolate Cut-out Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, very softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, very softened (1 stick)
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon milk (any), if needed

Decor: Red, green, multi-colored, yellow, and blue sugar sprinkles plus brown sprinkles and red hots. Gold and silver ball sprinkles are also nice.

Directions:

In a mixer, or by hand, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until very well combined and fluffy. This takes a few minutes so if you're not sure, keep going.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir/mix until well-combined.

Lay two long sheets of plastic on the counter, overlapping eachother. Scrape the cookie dough onto the plastic and fold the plastic over the dough, shaping the dough into a 2-inch thick rectangle. This helps get the rolling started more easily with the chilled dough. Chill for at least one hour.

Make the buttercream. In a medium bowl, combine the very soft butter with the confectioners' sugar. This takes plenty of doing if stirring by hand. A rubber spatula works well. At first the mixture looks dry and as though it needs liquid. Add the vanilla and keep stirring. the butter. will hydrate the sugar and a smooth, thick mixture will form. The idea is to have a thick butter cream that will dry well on the cookies. If the frosting needs thinning, add a teaspoon of milk.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line sheet pans with parchment paper. Line the counter with a silpat, or use a board covered with a thin bread towel (that's what Betty Crocker recommended). Or, just flour the counter well (this is not preferred, as you need a lot of flour to prevent the dough from sticking and the cookies don't taste as good with all that flour).

Work quickly through the rolling and cutting process to keep the dough cold. Remove the chilled dough from the plastic and cut it in half. Put one half back in the refrigerator. Place the other half on the silpat/board/counter and dust the dough and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Start the rolling by pounding the pin across the dough evenly. Then start rolling, moving the dough after every few rolls so that it won't stick to the work surface, adding more flour underneath as needed. Roll to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness.

Dip the cutters in flour. Like a puzzle, figure out the way to cut the dough so you get as many cuts as possible. Carefully transfer the cut-outs to the sheet pans. Repeat the rolling with the scraps, but don't knead the scraps together. A light touch combining the scraps will result in better, more tender second-rolled cookies. Just pat the pieces together and let the rolling pin combine as you roll.

Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes, or until light golden brown. Keep an eye on the cookies to determine how long they need in your oven.

Cool the cookies on racks. Place sheets of wax paper on the counter. Set out a plate to catch the sprinkles as you decorate the cookies. Use a small cheese knife to frost the cookies, and sprinkle them immediately after frosting them so that the sprinkles will stick. Let the cookies dry on the wax paper, then eat, and store extras in an airtight container. Separate layers of cookies in the container with wax paper to protect the frosting.

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Chocolate Cut-out Cookies With Royal Icing

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies With Royal Icing.

The key to cut-out cookies that hold their shape is a single mantra: chill, chill, chill the dough. Taking the extra 15-minute chill increments makes a difference. These cookies are based on a recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and despite the simple list of ingredients they impart deep chocolate flavor. I like Droste or Sharffenberger cocoa powder, but any will do. I roll my dough to 1⁄4-inch thickness, but it can be rolled thinner, 
1/8-inch. Makes about 40 3 1⁄2 -inch cookies.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

Whisk dry flour, salt and baking powder in bowl and set aside. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa in mixer, using the paddle attachment. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour and up to two days. The longer the dough is chilled, the longer it needs to sit out before rolling (at least an hour if the dough has been chilled for a day or longer).

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out cookie dough between two sheets of waxed paper. For chilled dough that is still somewhat hard, bang the rolling pin down on the dough to soften and begin to flatten it. Roll from the center out, holding the paper down with something heavy or grabbing the paper between you and the counter’s edge to hold it in place while you roll.

Dip the cutters in flour (or cocoa powder) before cutting, each time you cut shapes. Chill the rolled, cut dough (waxed paper and all) in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (on a sheet pan if needed for a flat surface in the fridge). Transfer the shapes to the sheets using a metal spatula. If using decorating sugar, gently press it into the cookies now, before baking. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes (the former for 1/8-inch thick cookies, the latter for 1/4-inch cookies) until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Gently press dough scraps together and wrap in plastic. Chill and repeat the process, using fresh waxed paper each time you roll out a new batch.

Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack to cool. Decorate with royal icing or butter icing, or with powdered sugar.

For the Royal Icing
Not all meringue powder is created equal. Williams-Sonoma, Ateco, and AmeriColor have better flavor than craft-store brands, but any will work. The thick royal icing keeps for a week in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap right up against the icing. The thinner “flood” icing should be used right away; let it sit, covered in the same way, for a few minutes before using to let the air bubbles surface. I use a #2 tip for 
outlining and a #1 tip for decorating.
Royal Icing
4 tablespoons meringue powder (find it online or at craft stores)
Scant 1⁄2 cup water, plus more for different consistencies
1 teaspoon corn syrup (optional, for shine)
1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted
Gel icing colors (if using)

Directions:
Using a stand or hand-held mixer (paddle attachment), beat the meringue powder and water until incorporated and foamy. Add the powdered sugar and corn syrup, and beat on low speed speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Different consistencies of icing are needed for various tasks: thicker icing is necessary to pipe the outer edges of the cookie (this holds the flooded icing in place) and to decorate the top, but not so thick that you can barely squeeze it out of the piping bag. Thinner icing is necessary to flood the cookie with icing—the icing should run in a ribbon off of a spoon the bowl of icing, forming a line that stays on top of the icing briefly before sinking in.

If you are coloring the icing, divide the icing into bowls at this stage and add very small amounts of coloring at a time (a little goes a long way). Adding a small amount of brown to any color can give it depth. Be sure to keep the icing covered directly on the surface with plastic wrap at all times, or a skin will form. The icing will keep in the refrigerator for a day or so; reconstitute it by stirring it and adding a touch of warm water as needed.

To spread or ‘flood’ the outlined cookie with icing, spoon it on and push it into the corners with the back of the spoon rather than piping it; this makes the flooding easier to control, I found. Let the flooded icing dry on the cookies for a couple of hours or overnight in a cool, dry place.

Pipe your decoration on the cookies, first practicing your design on waxed paper. Let the piped design dry before handling the cookies.