Iced Letter Cookies Recipes

SIMPLE ICED BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the butter in a bowl and beat it using an electric whisk until soft and creamy. Beat in the sugar, then the egg and vanilla or lemon, and finally the flour to make a dough. If the dough feels a bit sticky, add a little more flour and knead it in.
• Cut the dough into six pieces and roll out one at a time to about 5mm thickness on a floured surface. The easiest way to do this is to roll the mixture out on a baking mat. Cut out letter and number shapes (we used 7 x 4cm cutters) and peel away the leftover dough at the edges. Re-roll any off-cuts and repeat.
• Transfer the whole mat or the individual biscuits to two baking sheets (transfer them to baking parchment if not using a mat) and bake for 7-10 mins or until the edges are just brown. Leave to cool completely and repeat with the rest of the dough. You should be able to fit about 12 on each sheet. If you are using two sheets, then the one underneath will take a minute longer.
• Ice the biscuits using the pens to make stripes or dots, or colour in the whole biscuit if you like. They will keep for five days in an airtight container.

ICED LETTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl; set aside.
• Put butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture until combined.Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut twelve 2-inch circles and twelve 1 1/2- inch circles using cookie cutters. Cut out centers with a mini letter-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. If cookies become soft, refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Bake, switching positions of sheets about halfway through, until just golden, about 10 to12 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Tint royal icing with food coloring. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a very small plain round tip (such as Ateco #3). Pipe icing around edges of each cookie and around edges of letter cut out of center. Fill in with a thin layer of icing. Let stand until set, 1 to 2 hours.

ICED CHRISTMAS-COOKIE LETTERS

Steps:

• Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut out printed letters with scissors to use as stencils.
• Generously flour a rolling pin and work surface. Working with 1 disc at a time, roll dough to 1/4" thick. Place stencils over dough. Using X-acto knife, cut out letters (or use alphabet cookie cutters). If dough becomes too soft, chill until firm. Place cookies 1/2" apart on prepared baking sheets. Chill 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies until edges are light golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let water touch bowl), stirring, until chocolate is melted (you can also microwave chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in short bursts until melted, stirring in between bursts). Dip tops of each letter in chocolate. Using a toothpick, drag down thin lines of chocolate to form icicle shapes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and transfer to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Let stand until chocolate is dry, about 1 hour.

ICED HEART COOKIES

Steps:

• Cookies: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Remove 1 disk of dough; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting with flour as needed. Cut shapes with 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets (if dough gets too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes). Reroll scraps and cut more shapes. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. (If bubbles form, tap baking sheet firmly against oven rack a few times during baking.) Let cool completely on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Royal Icing: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar and egg white on low speed. Add a scant 1/4 cup water, then increase speed to medium-high and mix until icing holds a ribbon-like trail on surface for 3 seconds when you raise paddle, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix 1 minute more to eliminate air bubbles. Divide icing and add food color, a drop at a time, until desired color is reached to one half. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Stir well before using.
• Decorating: Pour white icing into a bowl, hold a cookie face down, and gently dip it in, letting excess drip off and tapping gently to remove bubbles. Arrange iced cookies end to end. Let dry completely, then brush across each cookie diagonally with pink "paint." For gold specks, dot on edible luster dust mixed with a bit of lemon or other clear extract.

ICED SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, lightly dust the dough with flour and roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper until about 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 15 minutes. Cut out shapes using 2-to-4-inch cookie cutters and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Refrigerate the cutouts until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until just golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the icing: Sift the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder into a large bowl. Beat in 6 tablespoons water with a mixer on medium speed until soft, glossy peaks form. Spread on the cookies and decorate with nonpareils. Let set, about 1 hour.

ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, oil and lemon peel until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Dip bottom of small glass into 3 tablespoons sugar; press on cookies to make about 2 inches in diameter.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to set and cookies are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 2 cups powdered sugar and enough lemon juice until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting on cookies. Sprinkle nuts on frosting before it sets.