Sugar Cookies with Almond Icing

Ingredients

For the Cookies:
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
For the Icing:
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• assorted food coloring

Directions

For the Cookies:
1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
For the Icing:
4. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup, one teaspoon at a time.
5. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, pipe, or paint them with a brush.