By Deana Elhit, Features Editor
Jeanne Kraus, who teaches Basic Food Theory, tells us her favorite holiday treat and her recipe to make it at home.
During the holidays, she enjoys baking simple sugar cookies and decorating them with royal icing. “Each year I focus on a couple different cookie shapes and bag them up and give them as gifts,” said Kraus.
These cookies have a great shelf life, says Kraus, as she also uses them for decorations!
Ingredients
- Butter 8 oz
- Sugar 7 oz
- Salt (Kosher) 1/2 tsp
- Egg 1 whole, Large
- Milk 3/4 oz
- Vanilla 1 1/2 tsp
- Almond extract (optional) 1/2 tsp
- Flour 15 oz
- Baking powder 1 tsp
Procedure: Creaming Method
- Combine the softened butter with sugar and salt just until blended (do NOT incorporate air by mixing until fluffy and light!)
- Blend in the egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract (if desired).
- Briefly mix dry ingredients together and add to above mixture, mixing until incorporated.
- Chill until workable, anywhere from an hour to overnight.
- Roll to 1/4″ thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on parchment-lined sheets.
- Bake at 350*F until edges are golden brown (about 10 minutes).
Kraus likes to make her cookies soft but says to bake them longer if you would like a crisper cookie.
Royal Icing Ingredients
- Confectioner’s sugar 32 oz
- Egg whites 6 oz
- Cream of tartar 1 tsp
Procedure for Icing
- Combine sifted sugar with cream of tartar and whites and with PADDLE attachment of mixer, beat on high speed for about 10 minutes until very thick and fluffy.
- Consistency can later be adjusted with water, depending on use.
- Keep covered during use and refrigerate, tightly wrapped to store.
NOTE: 1 tbsp glycerin may be added to help icing remain shiny when dry if using for cookies. This also keeps the icing from drying so hard.
*Add color first before adjusting consistency with water as excess color can thin icing.
