Former Pittsburgher here, came up with these for my kids:

Sugar Cookies and Icing

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
4 to 5 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
cinnamon for topping (optional)

In mixing bowl, cream together sugar, shortening, milk, and eggs.

Then add in flour and baking powder (mixture will be stiff, so use your hands to mix).

Roll out dough and cut out in shapes desired. You then can sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, or just sugar.

Bake at 400 for 13-15 minutes.

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
food coloring

Stir the powdered sugar and the milk until smooth.

Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy. If it's too thick, add more corn syrup.

Divide icing into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired.

You can dip the cookies, paint them with a paint brush or spread them using a knife or the back of a spoon.