Family Face Sugar Cookies

I was browsing through my pictures folder, trying to get them organized, and came across these cookies that I made and forgot to share! How in the world could I let that happen?
Someone requested a special order of sugar cookies for their mom to have each cookie represent a child and a grandchild.
So, she emailed me a list of boys and girls, hair and eye colors, and I got to work!
These could be done with royal icing, but I find people prefer the taste of butter cream over the icing, so that's what I did.
They remind me of the little people put on the back of their cars. So fun!

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with a mixer.
Combine flour, salt and baking powder in another bowl.
Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture until crumbly.
Do not over mix; use a wooden spoon to finish mixing dough.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; I like to let it sit over night.
When ready to cut out, preheat oven to 350°

Divide dough into 4 balls, and roll out one-at-a-time on floured counter.
Using a rolling pin, roll dough to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and place onto ungreased or parchment lined baking sheets.
When the sheet is full of cookies, place the baking sheet back into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
This will help prevent the dough from spreading while baking.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.
Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

When cooled completely; frost!

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened (I use salted)
2 lbs powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond

Mix butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and almond together in a large mixing bowl using a mixer until frosting becomes creamy. Continue mixing a minute or so to make sure the sugar is well incorporated.
Separate into bowls and add food coloring as desired.
Check out my frosting tip and pipe away!

To Decorate Cookies

Food coloring:
Skin Color
Brown
Blue
Yellow
Red
Black

Piping Tips:
Round 10 or 12
Round 3 or 4
233 Multi-opening tip

Use the skin color frosting mixed with the appropriate color to darken if needed, and pipe the cookie with the large round tip. Start in the middle and circle around the cookie to the outer edge.
Use the 233 tip and the proper hair color to make the hair, pipe in circles to make it appear curly.
Use the round 3 or 4 tips to dot on the eyes and a mouth.
Voila! A cute little family of cookies!