milk or water to thin, Curt prefers milk (about 1/2 cup)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees or 325 convection and set rack in center of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
cookies:
Mix butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl until smooth.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix until blended well.
Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low, pulsing the mixture a few times, and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are mixed well.
Generously flour a clean surface and rolling pin. Divide dough in half. Roll 1/2 of the dough to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut cookies into desired shapes.
Place the cookies onto baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Cookies are done when top is set and no longer looks wet. Edges may be slightly golden. Let cool completely.
When cookies are cooled, dip into glaze or pour glaze over the top. Top with sprinkles immediately. Let the glaze cool completely before serving. To store cookies, place in container after glaze is set. Separate cookie layers with parchment.
glaze:
Place powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add almond emulsion or almond extract and meringue powder to the powdered sugar.
Add milk or water, a little at a time, whisking to combine. Add food coloring and whisk until color is evenly distributed.
Dip the cookie into the glaze. Allow excess glaze to drip back into the bowl or pan. A spatula may be used to scrape excess glaze off of the cookie. The pour-over method described in recipe post may also be used. Decorate with sprinkles immediately after glazing.
Place cookies on rack or cookie sheet until glaze sets.
Notes
I find that making the dough one day and then cutting, baking, and decorating another day makes this a much easier process! The dough may be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The dough also freezes well for several months. When ready to use refrigerated dough, set on counter for 30-60 minutes before rolling out and shaping.
To make your own cake flour: Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour into a medium mixing bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and place back in the flour container. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour in the mixing bowl. Sift the flour and cornstarch mixture. Sift again 3-4 more times. Place in a bag or container, measure, and use as needed.
Almond emulsion is sold at specialty cooking stores (Orson Gygi's in Salt Lake City) or stores where cake decorating supplies are sold. You may also use almond extract.
Meringue powder is sold at specialty cooking stores as well. It can also be found at many grocery stores or craft stores . Cutler's uses meringue powder to create a shiny effect on their glaze. It is optional when making the glaze. The same amount of cream of tartar in place of meringue powder may be used to create the shiny effect.
I have noticed the shiniest effect for glaze seems to come when using the combo of water (instead of milk) and meringue powder in the glaze.
If the glaze starts to get too stiff, add a small amount of water and whisk in until desired consistency.
The hot pink color is achieved by using a food coloring purchased through Michaels or (in Utah) at Orson Gygi.
If you are using the trough method to glaze the cookies, make sure to place a clean sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan to catch excess glaze. After pouring the glaze over the cookies, scrape the excess glaze back into a container for a future batch of cookies. Refrigerate any leftover glaze.