Baby-Themed Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Tip: If you use this icing recipe, DON'T put the cookies in the refrigerator. I did, and the icing on the bears got splotchy. Instead, seal them in a plastic bag or tupperware and leave on the counter.

It's amazing these cookies made it. I had it all planned out - put the first layer of icing on the cookies during the girls' naptime, and then finish the decorations at night. But how often do plans get totally tossed up in the air when small children are involved??? These cookies are survivors.

My daughter decided it was not a nap day. Instead, she decided to destroy her room. And pee on the carpet. And eat one of the two "B" letters I had cut out to spell BABY. I couldn't believe it.

But after much perseverance (and very carefully cutting out another "B" from a baked cookie), these cookies were done. And I was pretty happy with the end result. Though next time, I will use strawberry-flavored extract for the pink icing and lemon extract for the yellow icing, then almond or vanilla extract for the other colors (this time, I used vanilla for the icing, and while they were good, I think it'd be nice to have a variety of icing flavors on the cookies).

This sugar cookie cutout recipe comes courtesy of my mother. The icing is my adaption of a few I found online. It dries shiny and hard, but is soft when bitten into. To decorate, here's a step-by-step guide on how to ice and decorate sugar cookies.

Mama Julie's Sugar Cookie Cutouts
2 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 egg

Directions:

1. In mixing bowl, cream butter, egg and vanilla (won't be completely smooth). 
2. In separate bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. 
3. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Use hands if needed to knead dough into a ball. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle flour on your work area and on your rolling pin. Roll dough out, sprinkling the top of the dough with flour as needed. Roll until dough is approximately 1/4" thick. Cut out shapes and place cookies on parchment paper-lined baking tray. 
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to sit on the tray for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing. Makes at least 2 dozen.

Sugar Cookie Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon flavoring (vanilla extract, almond, etc.)
Food coloring

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir powdered sugar and milk together until smooth.
2. With a handheld beater, beat in light corn syrup and flavoring.
3. Divide into bowls and add appropriate food coloring. To ice cookies like a pro, create an outline on each cookie with thicker icing. Then, thin the icing with a little milk and spoon icing into the un-iced area, spreading icing with a toothpick until the cookie is filled in. Use this step-by-step How To Decorate Sugar Cookies guide. Allow icing to set completely before adding another decorative layer of icing. If adding sprinkles, add immediately after icing. Store cookies in sealed container on the counter.