Would you open your door on Halloween if these creatures knocked?

You can make any amount of icing by proportionally reducing the amount of each ingredient

Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS
• 480g (4 c) AP flour
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 227g (1 c) RT unsalted butter
• 200g (1 c) granulated sugar
• 2 large RT eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, while mixing. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer running, gradually add in the flour mixture and mix until everything is well incorporated. Divide the dough in half, shape into two disks, and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days. (if chilling longer than 2 hours, let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes or until slightly softened.)
5. Once the dough is chilled and you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375F.
6. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch-thickness. Cut out shapes using 2½-inch cookie cutters. Re-roll as needed for more cookies.
7. Place the cut-outs on non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheets 1 inch apart.
8. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottom edges start to turn brown. Let cool for a few minutes on the pan then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Serve plain or decorate with royal icing.

Black Royal Icing

INGREDIENTS
Full Recipe
• 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted (I use and recommend Domino brand)
• 3 Tablespoons meringue powder (not plain egg white powder)
• 5 drops black food coloring
• 2 Tbl Black Cocoa
• 9–10 Tablespoons room temperature water

Half Recipe
• 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted (I use and recommend Domino brand)
• 1 ½ Tablespoons meringue powder (not plain egg white powder)
• 3 drops black food coloring
• 1 Tbl Black Cocoa
• 4–5 Tablespoons room temperature water

METHOD

1. Pour confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, black food coloring, black cocoa and 9 Tablespoons of water into a large bowl.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Royal Icing

Makes ~3 cups (3/4 c) of royal icing. (¼ recipe decorated 48 1” diameter cookies)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups (1 c) (480g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tbl (1 Tbl) meringue powder (not plain egg white powder)
• 9–10 Tbl (2-3 Tbl) room temperature water
• Violet food coloring to make white frosting very white

METHOD

1. Sift half the confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder, into a large bowl. Add half the water and still. Add the remaining sugar and meringue powder and the other half of the water water (or more,) checking flow consistency of the icing is what you want for piping etc. Dip the tip of a toothpick in the violet food color and wipe it through the frosting. IT ONLY TAKES A VERY SMALL AMOUNT TO MAKE IT WHITE. Any more than just the tip with add a violet cast to the frosting.
2. 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.
3. 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. 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.
4. 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.