Duck Baby Shower Cookies

There has been no shortage of baby showers in Pink Apron world! For this shower the mommy to be did not know the gender of the baby so the theme was yellow duckies.   This worked out great for me since these yellow ducks are some of my favorite cookies to make.  I am a big fan of bright colors, and I love how the yellow pops out with just a little sanding sugar for texture.

These cookies are not difficult to make.  Like any other sugar cookie with royal icing you just need to give yourself enough time to bake, decorate and dry.   I try to give myself three days, one to bake, one to outline and flood, and one to do detail work.  I work 9-5 during the week, so I unless there is a holiday or a long weekend I am usually working on cookies at night after work. The spans of time in between steps actualls works out well because you cannot do the detail work until the icing is dry.

Sugar Cookies

6 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream sugar and butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and add to butter mixture. Mix well. Put a handful of the freshly made dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to desired thickness. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Put the rolled dough, including the parchment paper, on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes or longer. Your dough will be chilled and ready to cut and bake with now wait and no added flour! Repeat with scraps after cutting cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 -10 minutes. Let cool.

Source: Fancys Flours

Royal Icing

3 tablespoons Meringue Powder

4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
6 tablespoons warm water
Beat all ingredients until icing forms a peak (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).

Source: Wilton