There’s a BIG BONUS in this recipe… no waiting! You do not have to chill the sugar cookie dough before you roll and cut! The dough is very easy to work with- if too sticky just add a bit more flour, and it’s able to take rolling and re-rolling without getting dry and worn out. I love this recipe for making cut-out cookies. My No-Fail Sugar Cookies are another great recipe for making the same type of cookie.
I use ‘gel-paste coloring’ to tint my icing. If you’re a frequent baker and you don’t have any of these, you should think about getting them (find them at craft or baking stores). There are so many cute colors, and just a tiny little bit will give you the color you need. They last forever. You can certainly use regular food coloring instead if you don’t have gel-paste.
I made a double batch of Martha Stewart’s Royal Icing recipe for my decor icing for these Meyer Lemon Cut Out Cookies. The only special ingredient you need for that is Meringue Powder, which you can find at a craft store (or baking store). It’s so easy to make if you have a stand mixer. If not, you can use this one instead (which does not require either meringue powder or a stand mixer!)
I use a bunch of little plastic containers with lids, dividing the icing between them and tinting my colors in those. For icing, I use the little zip snack bags (nothing fancy!) Just put the tinted icing in the baggie and very carefully snip off the very tip of the baggie and squeeze away.
I use the squeeze baggie to do all of the edging on the cookies, then set it aside and spoon the icing from the container on top to ‘flood’ the center of the cookie. You have to keep the icing covered or it begins to dry out and get too thick. If it’s too thick, just thin it out with a few added drips of water. After I have all of my cookies flooded with their base color, I use my squeeze baggies to do all of the decor and add a few sprinkles here and there.
The Meyer Lemons give these cookies just a tinge of lemony flavor. If you don’t wish to use Meyers, I wouldn’t sub regular lemons (too tart), but you can skip the juice and zest in the recipe and sub vanilla or almond extract in its place.
How to store frosted sugar cookies:
When you’re using this type of icing, it should harden nicely so you’re able to stack these cookies. I store them in a covered container, divided by sheets of waxed paper or in an airtight bag in a single layer. You can store them at room temperature for up to one week. Royal icing doesn’t tend to freeze well. If you want to make them ahead, bake the cookies and freeze them but ice them when ready to serve.
The Best Meyer Lemon Recipes:
Meyer Lemon Loaf Meyer Lemon Ricotta Muffins Luscious Southern Meyer Lemon Bars Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies Meyer Lemon Curd
