Christmas Present Cookies – the sweetest gift to share this holiday season!
Ingredients for the sugar cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract
tsp baking powder
tsp salt
Instructions:
Prepare the Dough:
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until the dough forms.
Divide the dough into two portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Roll and Cut:
Preheat your oven to 350F 175C.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about inch thickness.
Use a square cookie cutter to cut out the present-shaped cookies or use a knife to carefully cut squares.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake:
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
Royal Icing Recipe for decorating the presents
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons meringue powder
8-10 tablespoons water adjust consistency as needed
Food coloring red, blue, green, yellow, pink, etc.
Edible glitter or sprinkles for decoration
Instructions:
Prepare the Icing:
Combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl.
Slowly add water, mixing on low speed. Increase speed until soft peaks form.
Divide the icing into separate bowls and color each portion with food coloring use vibrant holiday colors like red, green, blue, pink, and yellow.
Decoration Tips for Present Cookies
Outline and Flood:
Use a piping bag with a small round tip to outline the square cookies in the color of your choice. Let the outline set for a few minutes.
Thin out the remaining icing with a little water for the flooding consistency, then fill in the cookie using the same color. Spread it evenly with a toothpick, if needed.
Allow the flooded icing to dry completely before adding additional decorations about 1-2 hours or overnight.
Decorating the Presents:
Ribbons: Once the base layer of icing has dried, use a contrasting color such as red or white to pipe delicate ribbons across the top of the cookie. You can either create a simple cross pattern or add a bow on top.
Snowflakes and Designs: Use white icing to pipe snowflakes or other intricate designs on some of the cookies. You can also use contrasting colors to pipe decorative stars, dots, or other holiday-themed designs.
Glitter and Sprinkles: While the icing is still wet, add edible glitter or sprinkles to make the cookies sparkle. For an extra festive touch, you can use sugar pearls or tiny edible decorations to accentuate the design.
Dry Time:
Let the cookies dry completely before handling or packaging them. It may take a few hours or overnight for the icing to harden.
Additional Tips:
Layering: For a more dimensional look, layer the ribbons and bows with different icing thicknesses. Start with a base layer and then add additional lines or decorations to create a more 3D effect.
Variation in Colors: The variety of colorsblue, green, pink, yellow, and purplemakes these cookies look like an assortment of Christmas gifts. Feel free to mix and match colors and designs for a vibrant cookie display.
Presentation: Display the cookies on a festive platter surrounded by Christmas decorations, such as pinecones and ornaments, to enhance their holiday charm.
These Christmas present cookies are perfect for gifting, parties, or even as a fun activity with family or friends during the holiday season. Their colorful and cheerful designs are bound to spread holiday joy!