Christmas Cookies To Decorate

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.

6. Divide the dough into manageable portions and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.

7. Use festive cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.

8. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

9. Now comes the fun part - decorating! You can get as creative as you like here. Use the royal icing to pipe intricate designs, create patterns, or write messages on the cookies.

10. Add a sprinkle of colored sprinkles while the icing is still wet to give your cookies an extra festive touch.

11. If desired, you can also mix food coloring into the royal icing to create a variety of colors for your decorations.

12. Allow the icing to set completely before storing the cookies in an airtight container. They can be enjoyed for up to a week - if they last that long!