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Sunshine Cookies

Last tropical post! Tomorrow I’ll be posting a very colorful and alcoholic treat for St. Patrick’s Day. But until then, SUNSHINES! Early March is usually the breaking point for people who live in cold, northern climates. Spring is so, so close — but not close enough. We frequently get snow well into March and most of us have just had ENOUGH. So I’m trying to be optimistic with these little sunshines. I hope your day is bright and happy!

If you are a new to decorating with royal icing, here are some helpful tips and links:

Here are the specifics on how I made these cookies:

Omi’s Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Beat butter and sugar. Add egg, sour cream, and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients gradually. Chill the batter overnight or for at least 4 hours. Roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350F until golden (in true fashion, my grandma didn’t give a specific baking time. I baked the cookies for about 8 minutes). My yield was about a dozen sunshines; if you need to make more, double the recipe.


White Royal Icing
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons meringue powder
5 Tablespoons water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes).  Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping.

One batch of this icing was enough. The cookies are large, but not much icing is used because of the design.