Frosted Holiday Sugar Cookies

1. Prepare Dry Ingredients

Begin by whisking together your dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt—in a large bowl. These dry components will help create the perfect structure for your cookies, so make sure they're well mixed.

2. Cream Butter and Sugar

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the room-temperature butter with the confectioners' sugar until it's fluffy. This is one of the most crucial steps because getting air into the butter and sugar lays the foundation for light and tender cookies.

3. Add Wet Ingredients

To the creamed butter and sugar, beat in the vanilla extract until just combined, then add the egg and mix until incorporated. It's essential not to over-beat here to avoid a tough cookie texture.

4. Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, beating just until the dough comes together and no streaks of flour are visible. This gentle approach maintains the tender quality of your cookies.

5. Chill the Dough

Divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This rest period allows the dough to firm up, making it easier to handle and helping your cookies keep their shape during baking.

6. Roll Out the Dough

Once chilled, roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. If the dough warms up too much during rolling, place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill again for 20 minutes to firm up.

7. Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, setting the stage for an even bake.

8. Cut and Bake Cookies

Cut your cookies into desired shapes and transfer them to your prepared sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 13 minutes, just until the edges begin to turn a light golden color. Watch for this color change as it's the perfect indicator that your cookies are done.

9. Cool the Cookies

Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Patience here ensures your cookies will be set and ready for decorating.

10. Make Royal Icing

For the royal icing, combine confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Whip with an electric mixer until the icing is stiff and glossy. This icing will act as both glue and decoration for your cookies, so look for a consistency that's thick enough to hold its shape.

11. Color the Icing

If you'd like to add color to your icing, divide it among small bowls and tint it with food coloring. Mix thoroughly to ensure the color is even throughout.

12. Decorate Cookies

When your cookies are cool, pipe or brush on the royal icing to create your desired designs, allowing at least 2 hours for the icing to set. This final touch adds both beauty and a sweet finish to your holiday treats.