Once the cookies are completely dry, slip them into cellophane sleeves (to keep them fresh and ready to eat), tie with pretty ribbon and attach to gifts.
- Prep time 30 minutes
- Total time 2 hours
Ingredients
Lemon Icing:
Method
From card stock or cardboard, cut out 4 1/2- x 2 1/2-inch rectangle; cut off both corners on 1 short end to resemble gift tag.
Between waxed paper or on lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Place template on dough; using sharp paring knife, cut around template to make shapes, rerolling scraps as necessary. Using small plain piping tip or lollipop stick, make small hole at cutoff end of gift tag.
Arrange, 1 inch apart, on parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in 375°F oven until edges and bottoms are light golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on pans for 1 minute; transfer directly to racks to cool completely. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; store for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.)
In bowl, beat lemon juice with meringue powder until foamy and glossy, about 2 minutes; beat in icing sugar until stiff, about 4 minutes. Divide icing among small bowls (you’ll need 1 bowl for each colour of icing). Using food colouring, tint each bowl to desired shade. Working with 1 colour at a time, spoon some of the icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe outlines around edges of cookies. Let stand until dry, about 20 minutes.
Gradually add water to some of the icing, 1/2 tsp at a time, until mixture is consistency of molasses. Spoon onto centres of cookies; using toothpick or skewer, spread to piped edges, popping any air bubbles. Decorate with dragées, sprinkles and/or coarse sugar (if using). Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes.
Spoon remaining thick icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe names and/or messages onto cookies. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; store for up to 3 days.)
Makes 20 cookies.
GET THE RECIPE: Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
Nutritional facts Per cookie: about
- Sodium 63 mg
- Sugars 31 g
- Protein 3 g
- Calories 241.0
- Total fat 7 g
- Cholesterol 26 mg
- Saturated fat 4 g
- Total carbohydrate 42 g
%RDI
- Iron 6.0
- Folate 11.0
- Calcium 1.0
- Vitamin A 6.0
- Vitamin C 2.0
