Sugar Cookies

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
2. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix on medium-high until they become light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat until they are fully incorporated.
3. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture in small batches. Continue to beat until combined. Then divide the dough in half and make two discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line two rimmed baking trays with parchment paper. Remove one disc from the freezer and allow it to thaw for 5-10 minutes.
5. Line your counter top with parchment paper and place a second piece of parchment paper over the dough to roll it out. When the dough is 1/8″ thick, using a floured cookie cutter, cut out your cookies and place them on your prepared cookie sheet.
6. Bake one tray at a time for 12 minutes, turning the tray at the half-way mark (6 minutes). Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Royal Icing

1. Combine icing sugar and egg white in a large bowl using a mixer on low speed. Add a little less than 1/4 cup of water and mix icing on medium-high until the icing forms long ribbons on the surface of the bowl (8-10 minutes). Then reduce mixer to low speed and mix for one more minute to remove all the bubbles. If you’re adding food colouring, add it now.
2. To decorate cookies, either dip the cookies in the icing or pipe it on using a piping bag and a small piping tip.