fall leaf vanilla sugar cookies

Yesterday I got to go see my friend Dave kill it on the drums with Sondre Lerche on David Letterman's LATE SHOW. I greeted the band backstage with these fall leaf vanilla sugar cookies and my friend Dave shared one with the guest on the show, Amy Sedaris. Pretty cool......

Royal Icing

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces warm water

5 tablespoons meringue powder

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 kilo (2.25 lbs.) powdered sugar
gel food colorings

In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together on LOW speed, warm water and meringue powder, 30 seconds. Add cream of tartar and lemon juice and mix for another 30 seconds.

In the OFF setting, pour in the powdered sugar all at once. Mix on the LOWEST speed for 10 minutes, The icing should look thick and creamy. Cover the bowl with a damp tea-towel or plastic wrap to prevent crusting and drying. Tint with food colorings or thin the icing with small amounts water to reach the desired consistency.

To decorate cookies you'll need the following:

- tinted royal icing

- disposable piping bags

- coupler

- a number 2 round tip

- damp paper towels

- skewers

Once your cookies have cooled completely, you'll need to pipe a flood line. This prevents the icing from running all over the place. Let this dry for at least an hour or more. 

Now is when you can fill-in the outlined cookie. I like to spoon small amounts of icing into the middle of the cookie and then drag towards the sides with a skewer. 

To create a marbled effect, gently drag your skewer through the different colors of royal icing.

Once the royal icing has set for 1 - 2 hours you can pipe on your details. 


Iced sugar cookies need at least 24 hours to dry before packaging in cellophane bags or cookies boxes. If it's slightly humid out, it may take a little longer.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!