Making The Dough

The first step in making decorated Easter cookies is to make and chill the dough.

I always use my favorite cutout cookie recipe that's from pastry chef Emily Luchetti and was featured in the December 2004 issue of Sunset Magazine.

The reason I love this recipe is that it's simple and contains no baking powder which I thinks distorts the shape of cutout cookies. I like clean crisp edges. Another bonus is that it's not too sweet of a dough which is important when a cookie is going to be coated with royal icing.

The only alternation I made to the original recipe is the addition of 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and the use of unsalted butter.

Here's the recipe:

Sugar Cookie Cutouts
Makes about 4 dozen 2-inch cookies

1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

 In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until blended, then beat on high speed until creamy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat until well blended. Add flour and salt; beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed until well blended. Divide dough into two equal portions. Place dough between sheets of plastic wrap. Press evenly into a disk and chill until dough is firm, at least 20 minutes. Working with one portion of dough at a time (keep remaining chilled), peel off plastic wrap and roll on a floured board until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured cutters and transfer onto bare baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees (325 for convection) for 7 to 9 minutes or until firm to the touch and slightly darker brown around edges. Cool on wire racks.