Ingredients:
For the cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the royal icing:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5-6 tablespoons warm water
- Food coloring (orange, red, yellow, brown, black)
Equipment:
- Turkey-shaped cookie cutter
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Electric mixer
- Piping bags (or small plastic bags)
- Small round piping tips
Instructions for cookies:
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (don’t overmix).
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two discs, wrap them in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to overnight.
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut out turkeys: Use the turkey-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack.
Instructions for icing:
Make royal icing:
- In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar and meringue powder.
- Slowly add warm water one tablespoon at a time and whisk until icing is smooth and reaches the desired consistency.
Divide and color: Divide the icing into several small bowls. Tint the icing in the desired colors using food coloring:
- Brown for the turkey body
- Orange, yellow and red for feathers
- Black for eyes and beak details
Outline and flood the cookies:
- Transfer some of the brown icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
- Outline the turkey shape on each cookie and let this set briefly. Then, use slightly thinned brown icing to “flood” the center of the cookie.
Add feathers and details:
- Use colored icing for the feathers, piping them as tear-drop shapes onto the cookies.
- Add eyes with black icing and a beak using orange or yellow.
Tips:
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating for the best results.
- For thinner/thicker icing, adjust the amount of water.
- If you don’t have piping bags, use small plastic bags with a corner snipped off.
- Get creative! This is a basic guideline for decorating; feel free to add more details and customize your turkeys.
Enjoy your festive turkey sugar cookies!
