Edible Gift Tags

Edible Gift Tags

Sugar Cookie Dough: 

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk

• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix until incorporated.
• Beat in the milk, then add the flour mixture. (Mix until dough forms.)
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
• Line a baking sheet with a liner or parchment paper and cut out the gift tag templates.
• Roll out the chilled dough on a floured work surface to about ¹⁄8-inch thick. 
• Use a sharp knife to cut around the template, and carefully place the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
• Gather and re-roll scraps to make more cookies. 
• Use a straw to punch a hole in the top of each tag.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. 
• Let cool.

Royal Icing:

4 cups (about 1 lb.) confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla, almond, or lemon extract
Gel food coloring

• Combine the sugar, meringue powder, water and vanilla in the bowl.  
• In a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat until icing is shiny and soft peaks form. (The consistency is right when you remove the whisk attachment and the peaks falls onto themselves. If icing is too thick, add more water, one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too runny, add more confectioners’ sugar.)
• Depending on how many colors you want, divide the icing evenly into small bowls, and color with food coloring. 
• Once colored, scoop icing into piping bag fitted with a size 3 tip.

To Assemble:

• Use a small offset spatula to spread royal icing on the top one-third of the cookie, then cover with sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
• To personalize, pipe message in royal icing and set aside to harden.
• Once dry, carefully loop a ribbon through the hole and tie the tag to a wrapped gift. (If your gift will be handled a lot, place the cookie in a flat cellophane gift bag before attaching.)

Until next time, when we can chit-chat again! T.