1-3/4 cups sugar
16 Tbsp (8 oz) vegetable shortening
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
6 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp plus 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (I used skim milk; use whatever you have on hand)
1 batch of Drop In & Decorate Royal icing
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream together the sugar and shortening on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the mixer and beat to combine; then add one-third of the milk and beat to combine. Continue to alternate with two more additions beating smooth between each addition, until the flour mixture and milk have been incorporated.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip (or a ziploc bag with one corner snipped off), and pipe cookies about 2 inches in diameter onto the prepared cookie sheets. Wet your finger with water, and press down the center of each cookie to flatten the little point that sticks up from the piping.
Place cookie sheets in the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake cookies for 5 minutes at 350°F, then reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Bake until the bottoms of the cookies are golden an the tops are firm, 12-15 minutes.
Slide the parchment paper with the cookies to racks, and allow the cookies to cool completely.
Divide the icing in half, and mix each half with a different color (black and white, blue and green, red and pink, whatever you wish). Place each color into a plastic squeeze bottle or ziploc bag with one corner snipped, and decorate the cookies as in the photos.