Royal Icing For Fruit And Nut Refrigerator Cookie Recipes

MY FAVORITE ROYAL ICING

Steps:

• Watch the video of the icing above so you get an idea of what the final consistency should be.
• Pour confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and 9 Tablespoons of water into a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat icing ingredients together on high speed for 1.5 - 2 minutes. When lifting the whisk up off the icing, the icing should drizzle down and smooth out within 5-10 seconds. If it's too thick, beat in more water 1 Tablespoon at a time. I usually need 10 Tablespoons but on particularly dry days, I use up to 12-14 Tablespoons. Keep in mind that the longer you beat the royal icing, the thicker it becomes. If your royal icing is too thin, just keep beating it to introduce more air OR you can add more confectioners' sugar.
• When applied to cookies or confections in a thin layer, icing completely dries in about 2 hours at room temperature. If icing consistency is too thin and runny, it will take longer to dry. If the icing is applied very thick on cookies, it will also take longer to dry. If you're layering royal icing onto cookies for specific designs and need it to set quickly, place cookies in the refrigerator to help speed it up. See blog post above for make-ahead and freezing instructions.

FRUIT 'N' NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape into three 10-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

FRUIT AND NUT REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• Cream shortening, butter or margarine and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly, I use my electric mixture usually on high power to really whip it up good.
• Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture.
• Mix well.
• Add fruit and nuts.
• Chill for at least 1/2 hour for easier handling.
• Shape dough into smooth rolls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Wrap in waxed paper or clear wrap and chill overnight or until firm.
• Slice with sharp knife in 1/4 inch slices.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes or until golden.

ROYAL ICING FOR FRUIT AND NUT REFRIGERATOR COOKIE

Steps:

• Combine ingredients and whisk to combine. Thin with water, as needed.

SUGAR COOKIES WITH ROYAL ICING

Steps:

• Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment paper or into a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 2 batches until just incorporated. Divide between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; shape into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough on a floured surface, dusting with flour as needed, until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 2-to-4-inch cookie cutters; arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (If the dough becomes too soft as you work, return to the refrigerator until firm.) Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are slightly puffed and just golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely before icing.
• Whisk one 1-pound box confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use to prevent the icing from drying out.

FRUIT AND NUT REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. Combine butter and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until combined.
• Remove bowl from mixer and using a wooden spoon, stir in dates, apricots, and pecans. Knead dough briefly until smooth, about 30 seconds. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a rectangular log, 2-by-1 1/2-by-7 1/2 inches. Wrap each log in parchment then in plastic wrap. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 4 hours in refrigerator or 2 hours in freezer. Dough can be made ahead up to this point and frozen for up to 3 months.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper. Unwrap one log. Using a very sharp knife, slice dough into cut into 1/4- to 1/8-inch slices. Place on prepared sheets, 20 per sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake until firm and barely browning around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on sheets for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. When cool, drizzle with royal icing and let sit 1 hour to set icing.