Ingredients:

  • 3 cups Plain/All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tablespoon Orange Zest (zest of 1 large orange)
  • 2 cups Icing Sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar), sifted
  • 2 tablespoons Egg White Powder (Meringue Powder)
  • 4 – 5 tablespoons Water or Milk
  • ¼ teaspoon Almond Extract (Optional)

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). This incorporates essential air.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Reduce speed to low. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract and orange zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. Incorporate Dry Mix: With the mixer on the lowest setting, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Stop mixing the second you no longer see streaks of dry flour. (Do not overmix!)
  5. Shape and Chill: Divide the dough into two flattened discs. Wrap each tightly in cling film. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 60–75 minutes. The dough must be firm.
  6. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Roll the Dough: Remove one disc from the fridge. Working quickly, lightly flour your surface and the rolling pin. Roll the dough to a uniform thickness—ideally 6mm (or ¼ inch).
  8. Cut and Transfer: Dip your cookie cutters in flour before each cut. Cut shapes and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  9. Second Chill (The Pro Trick): Place the entire baking sheet with the cut dough into the freezer for 10–15 minutes before baking. This prevents spreading and guarantees crisp edges.
  10. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. The biscuits are done when the edges are set and just barely starting to turn light gold.
  11. Cool Completely: Leave the biscuits on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
  12. Prepare Royal Icing: Sift the icing sugar and meringue powder into a clean bowl. Gradually add the water/milk and almond extract, mixing on low speed until smooth.
  13. Adjust Consistency: For outlining and detail work, the icing should hold a stiff peak. For ‘flooding’ (filling), add slightly more liquid until a ribbon of icing dropped onto the surface disappears within 10-15 seconds.
  14. Decorate: Outline the biscuits first, allow the border to set for 15 minutes, then flood the centres. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired, while the flood layer is still wet. Allow icing to set fully (up to 4 hours, or overnight).