Pink Ribbon Sugar Cookies for Breast Cancer Awareness

Wow, I haven't posted in a ridiculously long time. Things got a little hectic this last spring when I switched jobs. Now I'm finally getting used to my new work setting and things are finally settling down. And I just realized one night that I all but abandoned my blog! I don't want to give up on this, I love writing and sharing recipes and I know I can get better at this one day and remember to regularly post.



So, as my first post in a long, long time, I would like to share with you these pink ribbon sugar cookies for Breast Cancer Awareness month! It was around last Christmas-time that I finally starting experimenting with royal icing. I've always loved making (and eating!) sugar cookies, but I would normally just decorate them with a regular icing that you really can't do much detailing with. So after Annie (one of my favorite bloggers and naturally, my go-to source for most of my baking adventures) posted a step-by-step tutorial on how to decorate with royal icing, I knew it was time to try it!



I've definitely gotten better throughout the year with my decorating skills but I do admit, I have a long way to go until my cookies look anywhere near as perfect as genius cookies such as Annie or Bridget at Bake at 350 or Sweet Sugar Belle. But I hope you enjoy these cookies anyway and my go-to sugar cookie recipe! Its an old one, from my mom's old Betty Crocker cookbook that was originally my grandma's.



I know so many people have been affected by cancer. I have personally been affected by it by a few family members having to go through the worst possible thing you can imagine. Its scary and sad and difficult to cope with at times but just knowing that there are people out there searching for the cure and so many people working together makes it easier at times.


This is me and some family and friends at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the end of September! I'm the one on the far left. Pink Power!

Deluxe Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter

Mix together thoroughly the butter, confectioners sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend in slowly the flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Cover and chill for at least 2-3 hours. (I like to let mine chill overnight.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Pull of small chunks of dough at a time and roll each half to 3/16 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown on the edge. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Source: Recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1974



Royal Icing
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5-6 tbsp. water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes). Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.

Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set. Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired.

Source: Recipe from Annie's Eats