Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
Chill overnight or at least several hours.
Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter until thin, approximately 1/8 inch thick. Cut out desired designs.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 - 8 minutes.
This recipe will make 3-1/2 to 4 dozen 3 1/8" round cookies.
This is a special version of Royal Icing. Instead of the meringue powder, you may use 2 tablespoons of dried egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar. Since meringue powder or dried egg whites are used, it is completely safe.
This keeps in the refrigerator for weeks and may be frozen for even longer storage.
Sift the dry ingredients. Add the Crisco and beat or cut in until it reaches cornmeal consistency. It is easiest to weigh the Crisco (8 ounces), but you may also measure it (1 cup).
Stir in the rest of the ingredients and beat until fluffy. Note: It is best to use white vanilla so that the white icing is pure white.
Keep cold and covered so it does not dry out. You can add a tiny bit of water if it is too dry to pipe easily. Divide into portions and color with food coloring as desired.
Let decorated cookies dry overnight and you can pack 1 to 3 layers deep.