Snowflake Cookies

What says Christmas more than a snowflake sugar cookie? Well, if you lived on the East Coast, or even somewhere in the middle of North America, this would probably make sense. But for us west-coasters, we need to fake it. Yes, even in Canada. Here, in the lovely city of Victoria, the average snowfall per year is 26 centimetres (which is less than one foot). Vancouver and Seattle are probably around the same. So we make snow in cookies instead. Some may even prefer it this way.

Amanda and I spend the better part of a weekend making these sparkling little flakes, and it was well worth the effort. They are delicious. And pretty. Your friends, co-workers, and families will be happy. I promise.

Sugar Cookies

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

- Cream butter and sugar until smooth
- Beat in your eggs and vanilla
- Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt
- Divide in two and chill in refridgerator for at least one hour
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees ferenheit
- Roll out on a floured surface, and cut out with Christmassy cookie cutters
- Bake for 6- 8 minutes, allow to cool on wire rack

Sugar Cookie Icing

One package of powdered sugar
Water
Food colouring gel
OR
Your favourite royal icing recipe

- Put the powdered sugar in a big bowl and add water until it's thick enough to pipe around the edge of the cookies. You will want it about as thick as royal icing.
- Divide into bowls, one for each colour- save some white to pipe patterns on top
- Put in piping bag (I like a #3 piping tip) or ziplock pag with a small snip in the corner
- Pipe around edges of cookie and allow to dry
- Once all cookies are piped, water down the icing until it's fairly soft, about the consistency of      whipping cream. Make sure to save some thick so you can pipe a pattern on top
- Using a small spoon, fill cookies and allow to dry
- Pipe a pretty pattern on top of the dried snowflakes.

-Jessica