In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is pale in color and slightly increased in volume. Be sure to remove or break up any lumps in the brown sugar to avoid dents in your baked cookies. Add in eggs (one at a time) and beat after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Cold eggs can cause the butter to seize and may lead to a curdled mixture. Add the vanilla extract and Princess Cake & Cookie emulsion and mix just until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups of flour, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Continue on low until everything is combined. Mix in your sprinkles last just until they are incorporated into the dough.

Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to your desired thickness. Transfer the dough, still on the parchment, to a large zip-top bag. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or freeze for later use. Well-chilled dough is much easier to work with and cuts cleanly. I like to roll my cookies to 1/4".

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut into shapes on a lightly floured surface. Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottoms are just barely golden.

Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating. These cookies hold their shapes beautifully and are ideal for royal icing designs.

TIPS

Using a butter and shortening blend helps cookies hold their shape while baking and creates a softer texture. Shortening prevents spreading, while butter adds rich flavor and crisp edges.

Princess Cake & Cookie Emulsion paired with vanilla gives these cookies a delicious vanilla cake batter flavor.

Mix the dough just until the flour is incorporated to prevent tough cookies.

Always chill the dough for best results - cold dough cuts cleaner and holds its shape beautifully in the oven.

You can freeze rolled dough sheets in advance and transfer them to the refrigerator the night before baking. This allows the dough to thaw slowly while staying chilled and ready to cut.

Finished cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week or frozen for longer storage.

Vanilla bean paste may be substituted for vanilla extract, if desired.