Make and chill the dough: Prepare the sugar cookie dough, shape it into a disc, wrap well, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Roll the dough: Lightly flour your counter and roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut the shapes: Use apple, pencil, star, or rectangle cutters. Rectangles can become notebook paper, rulers, or chalkboards.
Chill the cut-outs: Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and chill for about 20 minutes to help them hold their shape.
Bake: Bake at 325°F for 8–10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Mix the icing colors: Divide royal icing into bowls and tint as needed. Use thicker icing for outlines and thinner icing for flooding.
Outline and flood: Pipe outlines first, then fill with thinner icing. Use a toothpick to smooth icing and pop air bubbles.
Let cookies dry: Allow small details to set for about 1 hour, and let flooded cookies dry 6–8 hours or overnight before writing on them.
Package or serve: Once fully dry, place cookies in clear bags, lunchboxes, or small gift boxes. Add an ingredient tag for teacher gifts if needed.
