Sugar Cookies

I recently ordered a bunch of mini cookie cutters (because honestly how could I resist...).  Therefore sugar cookies were a must.  I love making sugar cookies and they are very easy.  I did do a lot of research on what recipes to use but ended up using a recipe from my Baking book by James Peterson.  I substituted the vanilla for almond extract because both Jordan and I LOVE cookies with almond extract.  But feel free to switch it back to vanilla extract.

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (281.25g) of flour
3/4 tsp (4g) baking powder
1/2 (4g) tsp salt
1 cup plus 3 tbsp of cool butter
1 cup (200g) of sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt
2. Beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla until fluffy, then beat in the egg and yolk.
3. Sift the flour mixture over the butter mixture and combine just until well combined.
4. Wrap the dough, tightly, and cool in the fridge for at least  45 minutes.
5. Cut into cookies and bake in oven for about 12 minutes (325 degrees).

The dough can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week.  I assume that you can freeze this dough and store for longer, but I have not tried yet.  I only made half of my cookies the first time and I'm making the second half today, about a week later.

For the frosting I was curious because every time I have made royal icing in the past I have ended up throwing it away because I thought it tasted so disgusting.  This time I was bound and determined to make one though to put on my cookies.  The first batch I made was using an egg white and the icing turned out a little too liquid-y for decorating, so I started over and used a recipe using meringue powder.  To take care of the taste that I hate so much, I used lemon extract instead of vanilla.  This seemed to actually worked quite well and will be using this recipe again in the future.  Although, I am still a fan of butter in my frostings and always prefer buttercreams...