Use royal icing to write each guest's name on a personalized cookie place card—a great takeaway gift for holiday parties. Make easy stands for an upright design, or lay the place cards flat on the table and save the extra dough for later.
- Prep time 30 minutes
- Total time 3 hours
Ingredients
Method
Between waxed paper or on lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out shapes, rerolling scraps as necessary. If making stands, cut one 2- x 1-inch rectangle for every 2 place cards; cut each rectangle diagonally into 2 triangles.
Arrange, 1 inch apart, on parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in 375°F oven until bottoms and edges are light golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on pans for 1 minute. Using ruler, trim edges of triangle cookies (if using). Transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.
In bowl, beat meringue powder with 1/3 cup water until foamy, about 2 minutes; beat in icing sugar until stiff and glossy, about 6 minutes.
Remove 1 cup of the icing to separate bowl; cover with damp towel to prevent drying out. Using food colouring, tint remaining icing to desired shade. Spoon into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe outline around cookies. Let stand until dry, about 20 minutes.
Gradually add water, 1/2 tsp at a time, until mixture is the consistency of molasses. Spoon onto centres of cookies; using toothpick or skewer, spread to piped edges, popping any air bubbles. Let stand for 2 minutes; sprinkle with decorating sugar, dragées and/or small candies (if using). Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes.
Using food colouring, tint reserved icing, if desired; pipe names onto cookies.
If using stands, pipe remaining reserved icing along long edge of each triangle stand; secure onto back of each decorated cookie. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.)
GET THE RECIPE: Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
Makes about 50 cookies.
Nutritional facts Per cookie: about
- Sodium 30 mg
- Sugars 31 g
- Protein 1 g
- Calories 175
- Total fat 3 g
- Potassium 9 mg
- Cholesterol 11 mg
- Saturated fat 2 g
- Total carbohydrate 37 g
%RDI
- Iron 2
- Folate 6
- Vitamin A 3
