The Great Bay Area Bake Off Christmas Edition - Tanvi's Holiday Cookies!

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 2 Cups (4 sticks) salted butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 6 cups flour

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until just incorporated. Add eggs, vanilla, and your flavoring of choice. Mix at low speed until fully blended. Then add flour, 2 cups at a time, starting on low speed and then increasing if necessary. You will know your dough has been mixed enough after all the flour has been added, when it pulls away from the sides of your bowl and clumps around the mixing paddle. Roll out to 1/4" thickness. You do not need to chill this recipe. Unless you prefer to use chilled dough, so that it is easier to handle when you are cutting it and moving it to your cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cookies have just started to turn golden brown around the edges. I used the Wilton Royal Icing recipe to create the icing for my cookies:

• 4 cups (about 1 lb.) confectioners' sugar

• 5 tablespoons warm water

• 3 tablespoons Meringue Powder

Beat all ingredients together until icing forms peaks. Let icing sit for 15 minutes to an hour to let air bubbles rise naturally. Gently stir the top surface to release the air. The designs were inspired by Natalia Gladysheva.

Disclaimer: This recipe was posted for the Great Bay Area Bake-Off Christmas Edition. All images, recipes and content belong to the original participants of this event and not the author of this page.