Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing is a pure white icing that dries to a smooth, hard, matte finish.

3 egg whites (or meringue powder)
1 lb confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp almond extract or vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat on medium high for a full 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy. Keep covered with a damp cloth while using, removing small portions to a separate bowl as needed. Tint if desired. Can be thinned by adding few drops of water.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup softened butter
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk (reserve the white)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, extracts and egg yolk.
Blend well.
Stir in flour until well blended
Chill dough for 2 hours
Pre-heat oven to 376 F

Dust rolling surface with flour. Roll out dough, one third at a time to about 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into desired shape with cookie cutter.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush with egg white (if desired) and sprinkle with colored sugar(optional)
Bake 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Can be decorated with royal icing (See recipe here)

Picture below shows a variety of cookies made using the same sugar cookie dough.
1) Added with chocolate chips
2) Placed an almond on top
3) Dusted with powdered sugar (added a little bit of green coloring into the dough)
4) Added some crushed graham cracker crust and oats

Creme de Menthe Chocolate Chip cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons mint liqueur (I replaced it with mint extract)
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups mint chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large bowl, mix together the butter and both sugars until smooth.
Beat in eggs, stir in the mint extract.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt. Stir into the egg mixture.
Mix in the chocolate chips.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoonsfuls into ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Allow to cool (5 minutes), transfer to a wire rack.