Low Fat Holiday Sugar Cookies With Icing That Hardens Recipes

Steps:

• Combine white sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, simmering until dissolved and a sugar syrup is created, about 5 minutes.
• Stir together confectioner's sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Beat in almond extract and 2 teaspoons of sugar syrup until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more sugar syrup.
• Optional: Divide icing into separate bowls and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies or paint them with a brush.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat margarine and sugar until well mixed, adding egg white and vanilla as you go.
• Whisk baking powder, flour, tartar, and salt in another bowl. Mix bit-by-bit into egg mixture, not adding any more if the dough is too thick.
• Knead dough 3-5 times on heavily floured surface until smooth and at your desired consistency.
• Roll dough out on the heavily floured surface with a floured rolling pin, and cut shapes out. Place them on a cookie sheet, covered in parchment paper. (Don't sub the parchment paper for oil, butter, or cooking spray. Bottoms will crisp).
• Bake in oven for 7-10 minutes until tops of cookies have firmed, checking every few minutes to make sure they don't brown (these are best light and soft).
• Take out of oven and place on cooling rack.
• While cooling, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until shiny.
• Add food colouring to icing if you wish, and ice the cookies once they have cooled. ENJOY!

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.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
• Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.