Sugar Cookies Royal Icing Recipe

Directions:

1. Cookies
2. Sift the first three ingredients together. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and milk and beat until combined.
4. Put mixer on low and add flour mixture until combined.
5. Divide dough in half and wrap in waxed paper and refridgerate for 2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 375*
7. Sprinkle surface with icing sugar (you will need a lot more icing sugar than you would use flour, as it gets absorbed into the dough more). Remove one wrapped pack of dough at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with icing sugar and roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Move the dough around to make sure it doesn't stick to the surface.
8. Cut out shapes and place on non-stick baking sheet (or greased baking sheet or parchment paper).
9. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating the cookie sheet half way through. Cool on a rack.
10. Royal Icing
11. Beat egg whites and lemon juice until whipped. Add icing sugar until combined and smooth.
12. (When I made this icing, I made it a day ahead of time and stored it in the fridge. When I went to use it, it was too hard to spread, so I added a tiny bit of milk until it was a nice spreadable consistency. I think even when I make it next time, I will still add a bit of milk. It just makes it a little smoother and thinner.)