We Need a Little Christmas!
My friend John loved Christmas. He lit up like a kid every time the season rolled around. He drove me to New York City to see the lights and window displays. He took me to his favorite shops where he found beautiful one-of-a-kind objects, and in the next whirlwind we were at a Crate & Barrel looking for sale items.
One of his favorite holiday songs was “We Need a Little Christmas” from the musical Mame. But he was clear: “Auntie Mame is the movie to watch, but the song from Mame is perfect for the season.”
He also gave beautiful gifts… a set of small brioche molds; a caviar spoon with the bowl of the spoon carved like an acorn; a hand-painted Christmas ball in gem tones from a posh boutique in the city. That was in the early 90s before I met Mark and we moved to Maine. Then recently, after John’s untimely death, John’s former partner Jim gifted me some star and snowflake cookie cutters that had belonged to John. Yes, we need a little Christmas.
Cut-Out Cookies require icing. And it needs to be royal icing. Having only used it a couple of times before, I had forgotten that royal icing is a royal pain. I have enormous respect for those who ice and decorate cookies with it so effortlessly. And it doesn’t help that my hands shake like San Francisco in an earthquake. But I did my best, and the decorated cookies were well received. I hope you are looking down on them smiling John, knowing that our Christmas is all the better thanks to you.
~ David
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- large pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low, slowly add the vanilla and almond extracts; mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter and turn out the dough onto it. Gently pull the sides of the plastic up and over the dough and flatten it into a disc. Wrap dough securely. Chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll out half the dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut out cookies. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Then repeat with the other half of the dough. Bake the cookies for approximately 13 minutes, until they just barely start to turn golden on the edges and the center doesn’t look moist. Remove from the oven and cool completely before decorating.
- Makes 24-30 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
- ________________________
- Royal Icing
- • 2 egg whites, room temperature
- • 10 1/2 ounces confectioners sugar
- • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- • 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (or same amount vanilla)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in confectioners sugar and vanilla. Once fully incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat until stiff shiny peaks form.
- To color the icing, divide icing among small bowls (the number of bowls equals the number of colors), and dye with food coloring if desired. Transfer to piping bags and decorate cookies. (Note: cover the bowls when not using, as icing will dry out quickly.)
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
The cookie recipe is minimally edited from the King Arthur Flour website. The icing recipe is adapted from The Preppy Kitchen.
FEL!X
December 21, 2024 at 5:03 amEverything sounds so nice, also your Royal Icing!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:25 amThanks, Felix! It was a very fun project.
Michael Sharpless
December 21, 2024 at 6:38 amI didn’t get any. I’m bitter. But these are truly little masterpieces.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:26 amYour bitterness is only exceeded by your need for more cookies! I’ll try baking more soon…
Mad Dog
December 21, 2024 at 6:48 amThose are beautiful cookies and I love that acorn caviar spoon!
Merry Christmas David!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:26 amIsn’t that caviar spoon amazing? John had fantastic taste.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
December 21, 2024 at 7:16 amI really like your decorated cookies color combination. The golden yellow and white are very pretty.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:27 amThanks, Karen. I thought it would be fun to do anything but red and green!
Donn Poll
December 21, 2024 at 7:36 amBittersweet story and beautiful cookies — authenticity tops perfection (even though the taste is probably perfection). Happy Christmas.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:28 amThanks, Donn. I really appreciate your thoughts… and your kindness! Happy Christmas to you both, as well.
Jill W Becker
December 21, 2024 at 8:01 amWhat a beautiful tribute.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:28 amThanks, Jill. John was indeed a very special person.
Barb
December 21, 2024 at 8:31 amWhat a wonderful way to remember a wonderful friend! The cookies are beautiful and sound very tasty. I like the addition of the Fiori di Sicilia to add a touch of citrus. Have a wonderful little Christmas! Hope you are doing well.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 10:29 amDo you use Fiori dei Sicilia, Barb? It’s one of my favorite extracts. I’m glad you liked the blog post. John was a very special man.
Peg Peterson
December 21, 2024 at 1:11 pmThese look beautiful, david. When I was little we decorated our cutout cookies with confectioners sugar mixed with just a little cream. We colored them different colors and then added extracts to each so they were different. Red with cinnamon, green was mint, blue-almond, yellow-/lemon. They certainly weren’t as pretty as yours are, but they were eaten with gusto just the same. A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Mark!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 5:08 pmThat sounds so incredibly special, Peg — I love memories like that.
Eha Carr
December 21, 2024 at 1:51 pmYou just made me cry at dawn . . . and there truly can be nice tears. Thank you for the gift of sharing . . . your Christmas ball is shimmering right across the Pond with its timely message and may it shine back with the very best hopes and wishes to you both . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 5:08 pmAw, thanks, Eha — it was so nice to have these memories of John this year.
Mimi Rippee
December 21, 2024 at 3:15 pmBeautiful cookies! And beautiful photos.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 5:08 pmThanks, Mimi!
Gerlinde de Broekert
December 21, 2024 at 4:14 pmThese are my husband’s favorite. Thank you for the recipe and Fröliche Weiohnachten.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 21, 2024 at 5:09 pmFröliche Weihnachten to you, as well, Gerlinde.