Holiday Christmas Tree and Snowflake Cookies
Ingredients:
Cookies:
2 cups 350 g all-purpose flour
1 cup 230 g unsalted butter, softened
cup 150 g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
teaspoon almond extract optional
teaspoon baking powder
teaspoon salt
Royal Icing:
4 cups 500 g powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons meringue powder
68 tablespoons warm water
Gel food coloring green, white, gold, blue
Decorations:
Edible gold pearls
Edible gold and white glitter
Piping bags and fine piping tips
Instructions:
Prepare the Cookie Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Bake the Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350F 175C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the chilled dough to -inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
Use tree- and snowflake-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
Transfer to prepared baking sheets and bake for 810 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
Prepare the Royal Icing:
In a mixing bowl, whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder together.
Add warm water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the icing reaches a smooth yet firm consistency.
Divide the icing into bowls and tint with gel food coloring.
Decorate the Cookies:
Use green royal icing to flood the Christmas tree cookies and white icing for snowflakes.
Let the base layer dry for at least 30 minutes before adding details.
Pipe delicate gold snowflakes and branches onto the cookies.
Adorn with edible pearls and sprinkle with glitter for a festive touch.
Assemble for Gift Boxes:
Once the icing is fully set, arrange the cookies in decorative gift boxes with a layer of parchment or tissue paper.
Include a mix of trees and snowflakes for a festive assortment.
Storage:
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Enjoy these beautifully decorated cookies during the holiday season!