Sugar Cookies - Light Sabers and Storm Troopers!

May the 4th be with you! This is the BEST sugar cookie recipe ever, so consider it your go-to recipe for every holiday celebration. Iced or not, these are truly spectacular cookies.

Want to prep ahead? The dough can be prepped ahead and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring

To make the cookies, in a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until blended and pale. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disc. Wrap the plastic around the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour (and up to 1 week).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper or use silpat baking mats.
Now you have options. For cut-out cookies, roll the dough out onto flat surface that's been dusted with powdered sugar; roll until about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on the prepared baking sheets. For light sabers, roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper - shaping into 6-7-inch long sabers (I taped parchment paper to my work surface so it wouldn't move). For the storm troopers, shape the dough into a ball, place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and press down into a circle. Use your fingers to press into the sides (where the goggles would be) and up under the chin. Like this:

Bake the cookies (any shape) for 8 to 10 minutes, until just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Cool on a rack before icing.
To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, 3 teaspoons of the milk, corn syrup, and vanilla, adding more milk if the mixture is too thick. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy. If you want different colors, separate the into small bowls and add desired food coloring. You can paint the icing onto the cookies, or spread it on with a butter knife or offset spatula (you can also dunk the cookies in the icing).

Makes 3 dozen cookies