Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even browning.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Keep the dough moving as you roll to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart to allow for gentle spreading.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden while the centers remain pale and set. This balance ensures the cookies stay soft with a delicate crisp edge. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
For the royal icing, beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until frothy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and lemon juice, mixing continuously until the icing becomes smooth and reaches stiff peak consistency. The icing should be thick enough to hold its shape yet smooth enough to spread easily.
Divide the icing into separate bowls and tint with food coloring if desired. Stir each color thoroughly to achieve an even shade with no streaks.
Decorate the completely cooled cookies as desired using the prepared royal icing. Allow the icing to set fully at room temperature before stacking or packaging to prevent smudging and sticking.
