EASY SLICE AND BAKE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups flour, plus possibly a few more tablespoons
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup unsifted powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (cut in chunks)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp of food coloring of your choice (and/or 1/2 tsp of any desired extra extracts)
  • 1 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars with paddle on medium until well blended. Add butter in, gradually, and continue mixing. Add in vanilla extract.
  2. Continue mixing until the dough forms a ball.
  3. Remove all your dough and divide into two equal parts.
  4. Return one portion back in to the mixer and add the food coloring and any extra extracts. You can at this point add a different extract flavor to the colored cookie dough. Mint or almond flavoring works lovely.
  5. Mix until the color is spread out evenly.
  6. Roll out each portion of your dough, between two sheets a wax paper until it reaches about 11 x 9 inches and is 1/4 inch thick.
  7. Slide both onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  8. When firm, remove the top sheets of wax paper from both. Brush the uncolored vanilla dough lightly with water using a pastry brush. Then flip the colored dough onto the vanilla uncolored dough so they are stacked atop each other and even.
  9. Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal them together. Using a small knife, trim the edges of the dough to make straight, even lines.
  10. Be sure your dough is still cold, but flexible. Once it’s ready, begin rolling the long side of dough into a swirl, jelly-roll style.
  11. Pour out sprinkles onto a large platter and set aside. Now gently lift your dough log onto the sprinkles and roll away covering the entire log in the sprinkles.
  12. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for a few hours or you can freeze the dough for up to three months at this point.
  13. Slice your dough into 1/4 inch slices and bake on parchment lined baking sheets in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges are starting to turn golden brown.
  14. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cookie rack to finish cooling.

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