Baby Shower Cookies

I made some sugar cookies for a baby shower last Sunday. Well, as it turned out, the mom-t0-be ended up having her baby on the day of the shower! Madelyn Grace was born Sunday afternoon. 4 lbs. 6 oz. - simply adorable! No, the cookies did not go to waste! (are you kidding?) They were taken to the hospital to be enjoyed by visitors!

I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
  
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 teaspoons almond
  
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions
1. cream shortening, butter, sugar, almond, and vanilla.
2. add eggs, beat well.
3. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir into creamed mixture along with milk.
4. chill overnight
5. roll onto floured board into 1/4" thickness and cut into desired shapes.
6. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 4-6 minutes.

For the background of the cookies, I used this icing because it hardens and is easier to write on:

• 2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 4 teaspoons corn syrup
• 3 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
• 3 teaspoon clear almond flavoring

Stir sugar and milk together in a bowl until icing mixture is smooth; beat in corn syrup and vanilla and almond until icing mixture is smooth and glossy in appearance. Add food coloring to desired shade. Ice cookie and set aside for the icing to harden.

I did not add any color to the icing because I wanted a white background. I'm going to have to do a little research on this and if you have any suggestions let me know, because as the white icing dried it turned clear (even though I put up to 3 coats on each cookie!), so some of cookies ended up looking like it was just a pink "M" on a cookie.

For the "M" I used royal icing, because the other icing is not firm enough to write letters. Here's that recipe:

• 3 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups (1 lb.) powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear if you want pure white icing)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  

Directions
Beat all ingredients together until stiff peaks form (8-10 minutes). To vary the consistency, add water to thin and add powdered sugar to thicken. Will ice 2 1/2 - 3 dozen cookies.