Categories: ChristmasRecipes

How to Decorate Dazzling Cookies

Sugar cookies, chocolate cookies, butter cookies and more will add a little sparkle, a little dazzle and lots of memories to your holiday season.

Snowflake cookie

A thin glaze captures bright red sugar crystals on this snowflake cutout. For an easy glaze, beat together a cup of sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and enough milk (1 to 2 tablespoons) to make the right glazing consistency.

Candy accents

Use tiny candy or miniature gum squares to add festive color to piped-on frosting.

Gumdrop decorations

Gumdrops take on different shapes when you roll them out on a sugared surface and make cutouts with them. Make the hat for a snowman from a black gumdrop, then cut out two round pieces for the head and body. Use hors d’oeuvres cutters or tiny cookie cutters for small shapes. To finish the scene, add snowflake-shape sprinkles and tiny sugar sprinkles.

Stained-glass cookie

For an elegant stained-glass look, bake crushed candy in a cookie cutout. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil to prevent the candy from sticking.

Cookie swirls

White and red Royal Icing creates a pretty swirl topping. Use a toothpick to swirl the red dots. If you’d like more decorative touches, use a pastry bag with a writing tip to frost around the edge of the cookie.

Happy-face cookie

Create the smiling snowman’s face with white frosting, a trimmed fruit leather hat, candy-coated milk chocolate eyes, a gumdrop nose, licorice whip mouth and sugar sprinkles.

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup butter, softened
1 3 – ounce package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine flour and cornstarch; set aside.
In large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. For a plain sugar cookie, follow the instructions in Holiday Sugar Cookie Cutouts.

Make Ahead Tip

To store the cookie dough, pack it into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Take frozen cookie dough from the freezer a day before using and thaw in the refrigerator.

Storage

Storing Baked Cookies: Place plain unfrosted and unfilled cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Frost or till as directed before serving.

via: midwestliving , hello-naomi