Sugar Cookies "Hearts"

Ingredients:

Cookie

• 220 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• A pinch of fine salt
• 1 vanilla pod, cut in half lengthwise, seeds scraped out
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups of premium flour + extra for working with the dough
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon

Royal icing

• 2 large pasteurized egg whites
• 3 and 3/4 - 4 cups powdered sugar (depending on desired glaze consistency; see Note)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Sprinkles and dragees of any colors for decoration

Preparation:

1. Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the butter in a medium bowl with the sugar, salt, and vanilla seeds for 1-2 minutes. Don't overmix, or your cookies won't hold their shape when baked. Add the egg and mix well, then add the flour, ginger, and cinnamon and knead until smooth.
2. Form the dough into a ball and flatten it. Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes to set.
3. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Once the dough has set, roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 0.5 cm. Cut out any shapes you like. You may need to re-roll the dough a couple more times to cut out more cookies. If the dough becomes too soft, return it to the freezer or refrigerator to firm up.
5. Place the dough shapes in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the dough to firm up before baking and to prevent it from spreading too much in the oven.
6. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with royal icing and your favorite sprinkles.

7. Royal icing

   
   Yield: about 3 tbsp.
   
   Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually fold in the powdered sugar until the royal icing is smooth, beautiful, and shiny. Add the lemon juice and beat a little more to combine.
   
   Note
   
   You can thicken the icing by adding a little more powdered sugar, or, conversely, thin out a thick icing with a little water. To store, place the icing in a container and cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface of the icing to prevent it from forming a skin.