Iced Sugar Cookies

I've never made Holiday cookies and so I wanted to try my hand at them.  I brought a plate full to dinner club, despite the fact that they didn't fit the apple theme...well...apple colored, maybe :).  These were supposed to be cut-out sugar cookies but I was having technical difficulties so they became round cookies instead.  Tasted delicious either way.  A nice soft sugar cookie with beautiful shiny icing!  I had fun playing with different decorations, as you'll see below  :).

Iced Sugar Cookies
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Yields: About 48 cookies (2.5 to 3 inches diameter)

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

For the icing:

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1 tsp almond extract (used vanilla extract because my brother is allergic)
• Assorted food coloring

Directions

1. To make the cookies - In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cover and chill dough at least one hour (but overnight is best).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Using hands, rolldough between hands to create balls about 1 to 1.5 inches thick.  Place ball on ungreased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper) and flatten ball to about 1/4" to 1/2" thick.  Bake 6-8 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.
2. To make the icing - In a medium bowl add milk then mix in powdered sugar.  Stir until smooth.  Using an electric mixer, beat in corn syrup and almond extract until smooth and glossy.  Icing should be pretty thick so it doesn't run off cookie but if you find icing is too thick to dip, add more corn syrup.  Divide into bowls and add desired food coloring to each.  Dip front of cookies into icing and lay flat to dry until icing has hardened.

Source: cookies and icing recipes modified from All Recipes