Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Butter Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 drops orange oil 

2 cups+2 Tblsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground pecans or almonds

Large Gumdrops ( discard the black )

Colored Sanding sugar

With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg. 

Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.

If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.

When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".

 

Remove the top sheet of wax paper.

Using a 3" Blossom cookie cutter, cut Flower shaped cookies.

Lift away excess dough, gathering scraps. 

Wrap unused dough in plastic wrap and keep chilled, 

repeating process until all dough is used.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

 Flip cookies onto parchment paper and gently remove wax paper.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, cut gumdrops

horizontally about 3/4 way down using clean scissors.

 

Place the gumdrops cut side down on plastic wrap.

Set aside.

When edges of the cookies become a golden brown,

remove from oven and slide parchment with cookies onto a cooling rack.

Immediately place the gumdrops, cut side down, in the center of the cookies.

 While still warm, sprinkle the perimeter of the cookies with 

a colored sanding sugar. I chose pink.

 Remove from parchment paper with a spatula onto a cooling rack

and cool completely.

 Arrange on a pretty plate and enjoy the glittering cookies.

You know how fairies love sparkly things and sweets, so leave

a few out for them tonight too!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

Copyright 2011

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.