-
For the Cookie:
-
Combine butter and sugar and beat until lighter in color and fluffy - approximately 3-4 minutes.
-
Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond until well blended.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
-
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture all at once.
-
Mix on low speed just until incorporated.
-
------------------------------
-
To prepared the dough for refrigeration:
-
Lay out a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper and sprinkle a little flour on top.
-
Divide the dough equally into 2 portions (more if you have doubled the recipe).
-
Using lightly floured hands, place dough on floured parchment and gently shape it into a disc.
-
Gently roll into a 3/8 inch high oval or rectangle.
-
Lift the parchment paper with the rolled cookie dough on it and place it on a cookie sheet.
-
Repeat the process until all the dough is used.
-
Tightly cover the pan of all the layers of dough and refrigerate for at least two hours (or overnight).
-
When ready to bake the cookies, Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-
After oven has preheated, take out one sheet of dough at a time and cut the dough into desired shapes.
-
Place the cut-out cookies on parchment covered cookie sheets and bake approx. 10-12 minutes or just until the edges begin to turn a little darker.
-
Remove cookies from the oven and let set for 1 minute on a cooling rack.
-
Remove cookies from the baking pan and place them on a cooling rack. Let cookies completely cool.
-
Let the fun begin - the cookie decorating.
-
----------------------
-
For the Icing:
-
Sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl.
-
Combine corn syrup, water and flavoring.
-
Turn the mixer on low until everything is moist - scrape the bowl often.
-
Set the mixer to medium and mix until everything is well blended and smooth.
-
Divide the icing into the number of covered containers depending how many colors needed.
-
Keep the icing covered to prevent it from crusting over.
-
*Add more corn syrup water when needed.
-
**Here is my tutorial on cookie decorating. http://www.thecookierookie.com/perfect-decorated-cookies/