Servings: 2 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature ½ cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar ½ cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar ½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg 1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Finishing touches: subheading: Finishing touches:
Course sanding sugar in fall colors (orange, yellow, and green) Course sanding sugar in fall colors (orange, yellow, and green)
1 recipe royal icing 1 recipe royal icing

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
ON a large piece of parchment paper, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
Turn the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your rolling pin to roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick.
Use the cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as you can. Carefully transfer them to the prepared cookie sheets, about ½ inch apart. Combine the dough scraps, reroll, and repeat until all the dough has been used.
Sprinkle the top of the unbaked cookies with the sanding sugar, to mime the shades of fall leaves.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make a bowl of Royal Icing and follow the instructions to tint it brown.
Once the cookies have cooled, fill your 10-inch piping bag with icing and carefully ice the veins of a leaf on each cookie. Place the cookies back on the wire rack for about 30 minutes to allow the icing to set.