How Far In Advance Can I Make And Ice Butter Cut Out Cookies?

Our answer

Nigella's Butter Cut-Out Cookies (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) are crisp vanilla biscuits that can be cut out, baked and decorated. The un-iced biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. They may keep longer but they will soften over time. However they also freeze well so could be made further ahead. Put the baked and cooled biscuits in airtight containers, with a layer of baking parchment (parchment paper) between the cookies if stacking them in the containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw the biscuits, remove from the freezer and put on wire racks at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

The cookies can be iced up to 5 days ahead, but we suggest for this particular event using royal icing instead of the glace icing in this recipe. Royal icing dries harder than glace icing, which makes the cookies much easier to wrap and transport without smudging or spoiling the icing. In the UK you can buy royal icing sugar that is easy to make up and use, or you can find recipes for royal icing on the internet and in cake decorating books.