Brianna Shaver is a recipe developer and food photographer currently based in the PNW. After graduating from pastry school, Brianna went on to spend the next 10 years working in bakeries and restaurants and started two small businesses in Seattle, WA. After having her first child, she left her career as a corporate pastry chef at a large tech company to prioritize the things she loves: recipe development, food photography & spending ample time with her family. When not in the kitchen you can catch her hiking up a mountain or curling up on the couch with a good book. Follow her drool worthy content on Instagram @gardenboxbaking and TikTok @gardenboxbaking.
a little bit about the recipe
These vanilla sugar cookies with royal icing will be your new go to recipe. Packed with flavor the colored with natural food coloring, they're an instant crowd pleaser!
TIME (ACTIVE) | 1 H
TIME (INACTIVE) | 30 M
TOTAL | 1 H 30 M
15 SERVINGS
| 30 cookies
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: STAND MIXER WITH PADDLE AND WHIP ATTACHMENTS
directions
For the cookie dough, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer until combined. Scrape the bowl down and mix in the eggs and vanilla bean seeds. Add in the flour and salt and mix on low until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment and flatten it out a bit. Cover and place in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling.
After the dough has chilled, dust the counter or a sheet of parchment paper with flour and roll out the dough until it is about ¼” thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake the cookies @ 325°F for a total of 16 minutes, rotating the pan half way through. If you make mini cookies, lessen the baking time accordingly.
While the cookies are baking, make your frosting by adding the powdered sugar, meringue powder and cranberry juice powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Mix on low while slowly adding the water. You may not use the entire ¼ cup. Continue adding water until the frosting is the consistency of toothpaste. Turn the mixer up to high and mix until shiny and thick, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the icing into piping bags. Cut the tip off of the bag and pipe the icing onto fully cooled cookies. Top with sanding sugar or sprinkles and enjoy!
Expiry: 1 week in an airtight container
tips
The cookie dough and icing can also be made using an electric hand mixer
For mini cookies, start the baking time at 8 minutes and bake until golden
Whole vanilla bean pods are long, thin, and pliable. They have a rich, dark brown color with a smooth and shiny surface and have an inviting fragrance that is sweet, floral, and slightly spicy.
Sought after for its inherent tang as well as its cotton-candy food coloring effects, cranberry juice powder can be a tasty and aromatic natural alternative to standard food colorings.
