Instructions

To make Christmas cookies from scratch

• 1

  In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the granulated sugar and butter together until creamy. 

• 2

  Add the egg, vanilla extract, lemon zest and mix until fully combined.

• 3

  Add the flour and mix until completely incorporated. Don’t overmix or your cookies will become tough.

• 4

  Cover with cling film and store in the fridge for 1 hour.

• 5

  Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

• 6

  Remove from the fridge and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to around 0.5cm or 1/4″ thick. If the dough is sticky, place the dough between two plastic wraps and roll it out gently from the centre to the edge. 

• 7

  Use cookie cutters to cut out Christmas shapes and use a palette knife to transfer shapes to prepared baking sheets.

• 8

  Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden, then remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. 

For the Icing

• 1

  In a medium bowl place the egg white, 3 tablespoons of icing sugar and the lemon juice. Mix everything using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer on low speed until smooth. 

• 2

  Add the rest of the icing sugar little by little until you get the right consistency. If it looks too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water and if it’s too runny add 1 tablespoon of icing sugar.

• 3

  Spoon the icing into a piping bag or use a small spatula to decorate the cookies. Add gold sprinkles for a festive touch. 

• 4

  Once iced, allow cookies to dry uncovered for at least 4 hours to give the icing chance to set. Once the icing is dry the cookies can be stored in an airtight container.