Christmas Star Cookies
Photo by: Con Poulos
These delicate, festive sugar cookies graced the December 9, 2012 cover of PARADE Magazine. This super simple, fool-proof sugar cookie recipe can be used as a base for many fun variations. See links below for ideas.Click here to see the other recipes featured in this issue.
To purchase the cookie cutters similar to the ones used to make these cookies, click here.
ingredients: Add all to shopping list
Cookies:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
Decorating Icing:
1 (16-oz) box confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbsp meringue powder
1/3 cup warm water
Blue food coloring
Silver and red sprinkles
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
Decorating Icing:
1 (16-oz) box confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbsp meringue powder
1/3 cup warm water
Blue food coloring
Silver and red sprinkles
At a glance:
Servings: Makes 3 dozen cookies
Active Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hr 40 min (includes chilling time)
Key Tags:
directions:
To make cookies:
1. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
2. Add flour, baking soda, and salt to butter mixture and beat on medium until smooth. If the dough is very sticky, beat in a little more flour.
3. Form dough into 2 balls, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. When ready to bake, bring dough to room temperature.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Roll out the dough ½-inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. Cut out cookies with a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps and cut out more cookies.
7. Place cookies on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes or until set. Remove from baking sheets and cool on a wire rack.
To make icing:
1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat all ingredients together for about 5 minutes.
2. If mixture seems too thick to spread, thin with a teaspoon or two of warm water.
3. Tint blue or leave white., as desired. Spread cooled cookies with icing. Top with sprinkles of your choice.
KITCHEN COUNTER:
Makes 3 dozen cookies. Serving size: 1 Cookie (without icing). Per serving: 80 cal, 13g carbs, 1g protein, 3.5g fat, 10mg chol, 40mg sodium, 0g fiber
Fun variations on this basic recipe:
- Cookie Trees
- Candy Canes
- Snow People
- Caramel Nut Drops
- Stained Glass Windows
- Snickerdoodles
- Raspberry Jam Thumbprints
- Chocolate Cherry Chippers
Fun variations on this basic recipe:
- Cookie Trees
- Candy Canes
- Snow People
- Caramel Nut Drops
- Stained Glass Windows
- Snickerdoodles
- Raspberry Jam Thumbprints
- Chocolate Cherry Chippers
