Attempting pretty cookies part deux...and a recipe.

Tonight I decided to try some piping practice. I sat down for about an hour and a half, with a parchment paper bag (that I made myself, thank you very much) and piped the hell out of some pretty cookies.  First let me say that I threw out my first batch of royal icing, because after drying cookies for 48 hours I found that:  A.) I probably over beat the frosting, and 2.) I may have added too much water to the icing to thin it.  On the plus side of that other batch, I used rum flavoring on it, which I found to be delightful.  This new batch of icing I used coconut  extract, which is AWESOME. (Side note about royal icing, if you haven't done as much reading as I have, which is ok: Do not use oil based extracts, apparently oil is royal icing's kryptonite.)



     The cookies were flooded and actually dried, so I went about the task of piping them.  I read some blog posts on SweetsugarBelle's blog, and my first cookie (in the 12 o'clock position) was a lace inspired cookie. Not being happy with boring symmetrical lace, and remembering some delightful mehndi cookies I saw on Pinterest, I decided to attempt that. I was VERY happy with the results.  Granted, I geeked out for about 10 minutes on each one, but it was fun.  They turned out pretty. (my favorite is in the 10-11 o'clock position)

  Now, I had a request (kind of) from Monica, from over at A Day in the Life. She wanted to know the recipe for cookies I used.  Well, lemme tell ya, it is the most awesome cookie recipe EVAH.  It belongs to my Aunt Cindy.  She got it from her mom, Jackie.  I have it on a recipe card here, and it is covered in oil because of a "mishap" my husband had with it last weekend.  Here is the recipe:

 Holiday Rollout Dough by Jackie Bannert
1½ cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 cup margarine
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2 ½  c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Cream sugar and margarine.  Mix in egg and flavorings.  Stir dry ingredients together, then blend into sugar margarine mixture.  Refrigerate 2-3 hours.  use flour to roll them out.  roll them out about a quarter of an inch or slightly less thickness.  Bake 7-8 minutes at 375°.  Be careful not to bake too long.  They should just be browning on the bottom.  Basically bake until sides are set up.  let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes.

These cookies are delicious, and I look forward to them every Christmas.  Below is the frosting she uses for them (Not the same as royal icing.  This is not what I used in the picture above, however it is delicious and perfect for sprinkles)

Frosting:
1 cube margarine
1 box (1 lb) of powdered sugar (give or take)
1 tsp vanilla
milk as needed
mix it up fluffy!

So there ya go, my adventures in cookies.  I have some round cookies that I flooded and will be attempting to stamp with a ruber stamp.  I have a feeling in the end though, I will be rolling out fondant and stamping that.  No matter,  whatever I do I am sure it will be PERFECT. *shifty eyes*

PS- I am quite aware i need to take better pictures.  Kthxbai.