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1
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
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2
Add eggs and extract mixing until well blended.
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3
Add flour in several additions with your mixer speed on low.
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4
Scraping the bowl in between each addition.
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5
When the dough is thoroughly blended, separate it into three-four sections.
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6
Flatten each section slightly into a disc shape. Cover in plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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7
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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8
Unwrap one of the dough discs and place between two sheets of parchment paper.
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9
Use a rolling pin with rubber spacers attached to help you achieve thick, evenly baked cookies sturdy enough for standing.
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10
Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and use a statue cutter and a round cutter to cut shapes for each cookie award.
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11
Then cut an opening in the middle of the round cookie and remove the excess dough from the center.
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12
The openings should be slightly larger than the cookie cutter bottom.
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13
Leave the cut cookie shapes on the bottom sheet of parchment paper and transfer to your baking sheet.
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14
Repeat rolling and cutting cookie pairs until your baking sheet is full. Bake cookies for about 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
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15
When you remove from the oven, you may need to recut the slots on the cookie bases after baking to maintain straight edges. Do this while the cookies are still warm.
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16
Repeat with more cut cookies using a second baking sheet while allowing the first cookie sheet to cool. Repeat until all of the dough discs are used. Reuse and roll the scraps to make sure you get enough cookies.
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17
Let cool completely. When cool, pair up the cookie award pieces and make sure the statues fit into the base. Score the bottom of the cookie statue to use as a guide for piping your royal icing.
