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Orange zest and almond extract flavor these butter-cookie cutouts with meringue-powder icing. Roll to an even thickness and chill the cut shapes before baking. Cool every cookie fully before decorating so the icing stays on the surface.
Aim for one-quarter inch throughout the sheet. Thin points brown before thick centers, especially on detailed cutters. Bake similar sizes together and use an early check for small shapes.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 1 cup softened unsalted butter
- Set out: 1 cup granulated sugar
- Set out: 2 large eggs
- Set out: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Set out: 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Set out: 1 tablespoon orange zest
- Set out: 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Set out: 1 tablespoon milk, if dough seems too dry
- Set out: 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- Set out: 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Set out: 1/4 cup water, with extra for adjusting consistency
- Set out: 2 cups powdered sugar
- Set out: Various food coloring options; Sprinkles, edible glitter, or smashed candy canes
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Beat softened butter and sugar until evenly creamy.
- Stage 2
- Mix in eggs, vanilla, almond extract and orange zest. Add flour gradually and mix just until a dough forms.
- Stage 3
- Add the optional milk only if the dough remains crumbly when pressed.
- Stage 4
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets. Roll the dough to one-quarter inch and cut shapes of similar size.
- Stage 5
- Arrange on trays and chill ten to fifteen minutes.
- Stage 6
- Bake about ten to twelve minutes, checking earlier for small shapes and continuing until edges are lightly golden and centers set. Cool completely on racks.
- Stage 7
- Prepare the meringue powder with lemon juice and water according to its label, gradually beating in powdered sugar.
- Stage 8
- Adjust with only small additions of water after checking consistency. Color, decorate and let the icing dry before arranging the cookies.
Add the optional tablespoon only if the mixed dough will not gather when pressed. First scrape the bowl and finish combining the flour. Extra liquid is not a substitute for thorough mixing.
Does chilling replace baking?
No; chilling helps the cut shapes stay manageable. Bake until the edges are lightly colored and centers are set, using ten to twelve minutes as a first estimate. Raw flour and egg dough should not be tasted. Check the meringue-powder package for preparation instructions. Add the listed water gradually and assess the icing before thinning further; a line for outlining needs to hold its shape, while a filling icing can flow slowly.
Which decorations are edible?
Use products expressly labeled edible and intended for food. Craft glitter and decorative dust labeled merely non-toxic are not food ingredients. Let icing dry before stacking, and follow the powder label for storage.
Storage and serving later
Let the baked pieces cool completely before closing a storage container, so trapped steam does not wet the surface. Keep any perishable filling or accompaniment under its own refrigerated-storage instructions.
For another complete recipe, see Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies Filled with Cranberry Jam or Two-Layer Peppermint Bark with Dark and White Chocolate. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal. King Arthur’s creaming guide explains how butter condition affects mixing. That guide concerns recipes using softened butter; where this recipe calls for melted butter, follow its separate mixing sequence. The guide does not establish testing of this formula.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- How thick should the dough be?
Aim for one-quarter inch throughout the sheet. Thin points brown before thick centers, especially on detailed cutters.
- When is milk needed?
Add the optional tablespoon only if the mixed dough will not gather when pressed. First scrape the bowl and finish combining the flour.
- Does chilling replace baking?
No; chilling helps the cut shapes stay manageable. Bake until the edges are lightly colored and centers are set, using ten to twelve minutes as a first estimate.
- What icing consistency is useful?
Check the meringue-powder package for preparation instructions. Add the listed water gradually and assess the icing before thinning further; a line for outlining needs to hold its shape, while a filling icing can flow slowly.
- Which decorations are edible?
Use products expressly labeled edible and intended for food. Craft glitter and decorative dust labeled merely non-toxic are not food ingredients.