Lemon Sugar Cookies with Lemon Royal Icing

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy

Add egg, vanilla and lemon zest to creamed butter and sugar and beat until well combined

In a small bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until combined

Dumb the dough onto a lightly floured surface and split into two even portions

Shape the two dough portions into flat disks and wrap in plastic wrap

Chill the dough for at least two hours or up to two days

When ready to bake the cookies preheat the oven to 350F

Roll the disks of cookie dough on a lightly flour surface to a 1/4" thickness

Cut the dough into the desired shape and place on a parchment lined baking sheet 

Place the cut cookie dough on the cookie sheet into the freezer for two to five minutes

Bake the cookies for approximately 12 minutes or until golden. Larger cookies may take slightly longer to bake.

Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling

Decorate completely cooled cookies with royal icing

Add meringue powder, corn starch, lemon extract and water to the bowl of a stand mixer 

Using a hand whisk mix the ingredients until combined

Add the powdered sugar and mix again with the hand whisk

Using the paddle attachment beat on medium-high speed for four to five minutes until thick white peaks form

Separate the royal icing into bowls and add colors as desired 

Add water until desired consistency is reached for decorating