Aussie bakers The Confectionist share their best cookie recipe for iced Christmas allspice biscuits

With National Cookie Day (December 4) and the holiday season just around the corner, it's time to grab your apron, dust off your cookie cutters and get creative.

Not sure what to whip up? Try this scrumptious cookie and icing recipe from popular Melbourne-based bakers, The Confectionist.

• 250g butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 4 cups flour (plain)

1. Preheat the oven to 170°c.
2. Beat together butter and sugar until butter is lighter in colour, then scrape the bowl.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat just until combined. Scrape the bowl.
4. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
5. Roll out your dough on a silicon mat or baking paper. Press your cookie cutter shapes into the dough but don’t remove the shape.
6. Stack your sheets of dough in the fridge until chilled.
7. Place the shapes on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 12 minutes at 170°c.
8. Let the excess dough and set aside to come to room temp before rolling out and repeating the process.

• 30g egg white powder/meringue powder
• 300ml water
• 2kg icing mixture (not pure icing sugar)

1. Whisk together your egg white powder/meringue powder with the water and until the mixture resembles fluffed up egg whites.
2. Run the mixture through a sieve, pushing through any egg white powder that was left behind with the whisk.
3. Add icing mixture all at once.
4. Beat on medium speed for 10 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
5. Beat for 2.5 minutes.
6. Colour your icing with your favourite food colouring and get decorating!

Next, read 6 sizzling books to devour this summer.