In need of a satisfying, homemade cookie recipe? To start, soften two sticks of unsalted butter and place them in a standing electric mixer bowl.

Attach a paddle and beat the softened butter with 1 cup granulated sugar at medium speed until the mixture is fluffy. This should take about two minutes. Then, add two egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Once these are combined well, add 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour at low speed. To make sure it is manageable, divide the dough into three equal parts and shape each into a disk. Wrap these disks in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to chill.

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350° and prepare three baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to about an inch in thickness. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, stamp out the cookies as close together as possible, then transfer them one inch apart on the baking sheet. Place the sheets in the center of a preheated oven and bake until they become lightly browned, generally 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool before moving them off the sheet onto a cooling rack, following which they should be left to cool completely.

In order to get the playful aesthetics of the cookies, prepare the icing. Whisk two egg whites, 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, and 3 cups of sifted confectioners' sugar in a medium-sized bowl until the mixture is smooth. Separate some of the icing into different small bowls and add food colorings of your preference. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying.

Dilute the white icing slightly with a few drops of water so it will evenly glaze the cookies. Using a pastry brush, coat all the cookies with this white glaze and let it dry. The colored icings can then be transferred to piping bags equipped with tiny tips. Go wild and pipe spectacular designs onto the cookies and leave them to dry before serving.

In case there are leftovers, these cookies can be stored neatly in an airtight container with layers of wax paper in between for up to a week.

Another fun variation would be to make a chocolate icing for added detail. To do this, in the mixer bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons of sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 egg whites for about three minutes until they are thick and smooth. If the icing becomes too thick, a few drops of water should bring it to the desired consistency. Enjoy these delightful cookies at your next gathering, or simply as a treat for your sweet tooth.