Christmas Sugar Cookies

until combined and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl well, then with the mixer on low speed, add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until well combined.

Scrape the sides of the bowl again, then add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix. Finish the dough by kneading it a few times with your hands to ensure it is fully combined.

Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface and press it down into a disc. Lightly sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and roll it out to about ⅜” thickness. The dough can be any shape, as long as it is ⅜” thick. As you roll, rotate the dough to prevent it from sticking, sprinkling more flour underneath and on top as needed.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight.

Once the dough is chilled, line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the dough, and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake the first sheet of cookies right away, as the dough should still be slightly firm. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned, and the centers have puffed up. Place additional trays of cookie dough shapes in the fridge.

Press together the dough scraps and re-roll and cut out shapes 2 or 3 more times, until you don’t have any dough left. Refrigerate the remaining cookie sheets for at least 10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.

Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before decorating.

Buttercream Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, creamy, and light in color, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined, so the powdered sugar doesn’t spill out. Scrape the bowl well with a rubber spatula.

Once all the ingredients are combined, mix the buttercream on low speed for another 5-10 minutes to make it smooth, creamy, and help remove any air bubbles.

Decorating: Divide the buttercream and dye each portion with gel food coloring, as desired. Fill piping bags fitted with couplers and piping tips, with the different colors of buttercream. Pipe the frosting onto the cookies in various designs, and add sprinkles or sanding sugar as desired. Alternatively, you can use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to spread the buttercream onto the cookies.