Ultimate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (8 ounces)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3 cups confectioner's sugar
  • Sanding sugar, sprinkles, nonpareils for decorating

Preparation

1. In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Add the flour and beat on low speed until moistened. Divide the dough into 3 discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° and line 3 baking sheets with parchment. Working with one disc of dough at a time, on a floured surface, roll the dough ¼-inch thick.

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3. Stamp out as many cookies as possible.

Grace Parisi / TODAY

4. Transfer them to a baking sheet 1-inch apart. Gather the scraps and reroll more cookies. Bake the cookies in the center of the oven until lightly browned, 12 to14 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, re rolling the scraps.

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5. Make the glaze: in a bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread the white to cover the cookies and let dry completely.

Grace Parisi / TODAY

6. Transfer the remaining glaze to a piping bag or squeeze bottle with a tiny tip and pipe designs all over the cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let dry completely, then transfer to platters to serve.

Grace Parisi / TODAY

Alternative decorations:
• Lightly brush the unbaked cookies with a mixture of 2 egg yolks combined with 2 tablespoons of water. Let dry slightly, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake as directed above.
• Divide the glaze into bowls and add food coloring to each. Glaze the cookies with one solid color then pipe dots or lines onto the wet glaze. Let dry completely.