Cinnamon Apple Cut-Out Cookies {Recipe}

I like to start the school year off right... that means, for me, that I send in bribes gifts to my boys' teachers. This year, I tried these Cinnamon-Apple flavored cut-out cookies.

What You Need:
For the Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg (at room temperature)
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate (defrosted)

For the icing
1 lb. powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate

Make the Cookies:

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, combine butter and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.

Add egg and apple juice concentrate. Mix until well-blended.

Add flour mixture, one cup at a time. Mix on lowest possible speed, until dough just comes together.

Remove from the bowl, shape into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. (Dough may be a little crumbly. You can gently work in the crumbs.)
Place in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes to rest.

On a floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4" thick.

Cut into shapes. (I used an apple cutter, and a small blossom cutter to get the "bitten apple" look.)
Place on to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Place into the freezer for 15 minutes.
While the cookies rest, preheat the oven to 350-degrees (F).

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until just barely golden on the edges. Set aside to cool.

Make the Icing:

In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, cinnamon and meringue powder. Add water and apple juice concentrate.

Mix on medium-high for about 4 minutes, or until the icing holds a stiff peak.

**Click the links below for lots more information about working with Royal Icing if you've never made it before:
Royal Icing Recipe
How to Color Icing
Royal Icing Consistency

Decorate the Cookies:

Color the icing red, brown and green, reserving some white if you're making the ones with 'bites' in it.
Start with outlining. I used a Tip #2 for all of my outlines.

Fill in the red, and let it dry for at least 30 minutes before adding the other fill-in colors.

After they're dried, you can package them up... and butter-up a teacher or two (hopefully).

Click the Links Below to See:
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipe
Peach Sugar Cookie Recipe
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
Other Back-to-School Apple Ideas

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