The secret to these shortbread-style cookies is the “crunch” from a little cornmeal. The dough is flavored with orange zest, and the orange juice-kissed dipping glaze makes them super easy to decorate.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
Yellow sanding sugar
Instructions
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in orange zest and vanilla.
Combine flour and cornmeal. Gradually add to butter mixture and beat until well combined. Shape dough into 2 discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use star-shaped cookie cutters to cut dough into cookies (I used 3-inch and 1 1/4-inch cutters). Place 1 inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake cookies, in batches, 18 to 20 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice. Pour into a shallow dish. Dip cookies in glaze and place on wire racks. Sprinkle with sanding sugar while glaze is still wet. Let stand until glaze is dry.
I think these may be my new favorite Christmas cookies because they’re show-stopping and secretly quite easy to make (if you have a little patience). Experiment with other food coloring and sprinkles to enjoy them any time of year.
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 drops Leaf Green food coloring paste (such as Americolor)
Red sanding sugar
Instructions
Stir together flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until yolk disappears. Beat in vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture and beat until well combined. Divide dough in half.
Add 4 drops food coloring paste to one dough half, and beat until well combined.
Roll green dough to a 9- by 16-inch rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll plain dough to a 9- by 16-inch rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper. Place both dough sheets in the refrigerator and chill 30 minutes.
Unwrap green dough and place on a clean surface. Turn out plain dough on top of green dough, and trim the edges if necessary. Roll dough tightly into a log, starting with one short side. Wrap with parchment paper, and refrigerate 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour sanding sugar into a rimmed baking sheet. Unwrap dough and roll in sanding sugar until dough is completely covered. Trim off ends and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set (don't brown). Let stand on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
