Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies with Royal Icing

Directions

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the peanut butter and soft butter until light and smooth. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and cream for 2-3 minutes. At low speed, add the eggs and continue beating them well. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder and add, 1 cup at a time, to the mixture. Mix well until a pliable dough forms. Divide the dough into two equal parts and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the dough becomes firm (at least 2 hours). The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance. While the dough is chilling, prepare the royal icing if desired. (see recipe below)
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Preset 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Proceeding with one portion of dough at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4’’. Cut into different shapes with cookie cutters. Gather the scraps and roll out again to create more cookies. Each portion of dough should yield 25 cookies. Spread the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking.
3. Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking. Let cool completely on a rack before decorating. The biscuits can be stored 1 week before the decoration stage. Decorate the cookies and let dry completely before storing them. Decorated cookies will keep for more than 1 week in an airtight container.
4. FOR THE ROYAL ICING : Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the meringue powder with the water and vanilla until fluffy and light. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually 1 cup at a time. Whisk until well incorporated and until semi-firm. This consistency will be ideal for creating designs and for tracing the outline of cookies.
5. Divide the royal icing into as many bowls as desired colors. Color with food coloring(s) and reserve a completely white bowl if desired. Reserve a quarter of each colored icing by transferring it to a small pastry bag. Close tightly until use. Thin the remaining glazes with a few drops of lemon juice at a time until runny but not too runny. Transfer to other pastry bags. This consistency will be ideal for uniformly filling the traced areas of the biscuits. Close the pockets tightly until use. Note: to thicken an icing that is too runny, simply add more icing sugar. Thin it with small drops of water or lemon juice. The recipe is more than enough t decorate 30 to 40 cookies.