Sugar Cookies
Nothing says the holidays like decorated Christmas sugar cookies. I saw painted sugar cookies in Bon Appetit Magazine last year. I loved that they used edible luster dust and lemon extract to create the paint. This combination makes for a sparkly, buttery sugar cookie with a hint of lemon flavor. I had to try these for myself, so I bought gold, and silver edible luster dust at Michaels along with some paint brushes. Now, bear with me, because I am no artist. In fact, my hand shook a little when I was applying the paint to the cookies. I was just so nervous! I have to say, though, that I am really pleased with how they turned out. Sure, I had to stand five feet from them to truly appreciate their beauty, but who cares? Nothing looks that great close up anyway. Have you ever looked in a magnifying mirror? It’s a humbling experience.
I decided to make true royal icing made with egg whites as opposed to the less scary, faux royal icing. If you also decide to make authentic royal icing please be sure you use fresh, properly refrigerated and pasteurized grade A or AA eggs.
Okay, on to the sugar cookie dough! Cream the sugar and butter, add the eggs and vanilla, then, in two parts, add your dry ingredients. Finally, wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Let’s cut out some cookies. Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface, and using floured-cookie cutters, cut out your dough. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until sides are golden brown.
To make the royal icing, beat together sifted powdered sugar and two egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Then mix in a tablespoon or so of water to soften the peaks.
Now, let’s ice the cookies.
Pipe out a thin line of icing at the edge of the cookie.
Then fill in the middle.
With an offset spatula, smooth out the icing.
And clean up the edges.
Set the iced cookies out to dry for at least 2 hours. Once firm, you can paint on your designs.
Mix a teaspoon of edible glitter with a few drops of lemon extract, then paint on your design.
Merry Christmas!
C
- 3/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp.Baking Powder
- 3 cups (375 g) All-Purpose Flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks or 282 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup (210 g) Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 3 1/2 cups (421 g) Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 Large Egg Whites
- Edible Lust Dust, colors of your choice
- Lemon Extract
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Whisk salt, baking powder, and flour in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until well combined (butter does not need to be fluffy), about 3 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; beat just to combine. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to combine. Form dough into two 3/4" thick disks; wrap in plastic. Chill at least 2 hours.
- Let 1 disk of dough sit at room temperature until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Roll out on lightly floured surface until about 1/4" thick, dusting with flour as needed (if dough gets soft or sticky, chill until firm). Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters; transfer to parchment -lined baking sheets.
- Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on size. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Repeat with scraps, and remaining dough.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sifted powdered sugar and egg yolks until white, thickened, and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add water by the tablespoonful until icing no longer holds a peak. Divide icing into smaller bowls and color with food coloring if desired.
- Using a pastry bag with a small plain tip, pipe a thin border of royal icing just inside the cookie's edge.
- Fill in with icing, working in concentric circles for rounds, top to bottom for squares. Us an offset spatula to smooth and fill in gaps. Let icing set until firm and dry, at least 2 hours.
- In a small bowl, combine about 1 teaspoon colored luster dust with a few drops of lemon extract, adding more extract as needed until the mixture is the consistency of thin paint. Use a small brush to pain designs onto the icing, blotting brush on paper towel as needed.
- Cookie dough can be made 1 month ahead; freeze instead of chilling. Cookies can be baked (left undecorated) 2 weeks ahead; wrap tightly and freeze
- Wrap decorated cookies in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Standing mixer
- Edible luster dust
- Small paint brushes
