Eye-Catching Cookies

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Showstopper Cookies

This delicious sugar cookie adds the element of wow, without painstakingly piping on frosting. You can add a powdered sugar glaze to give them a little sheen if you’d like, but it’s not necessary.

What Makes These Cookies Stand Out?

Well, it’s the spirals of course. Customize the colors to fit the occasion and everyone will take notice and be impressed by your inspired creativity.

The sprinkles around the edges add a nice touch for both visual appeal, texture, and additional crunch.  As a bonus, they’re not hard to make. But it DOES look like you took a lot of extra time and care in creating them. Soak in the praise. Just soak it in…

Why Chill the Dough?

Don’t you hate it when you put a batch of beautiful dough rounds into the oven, only to have the cookies flatten and spread out during baking?! That’s the reason for chilling the dough first. The colder the dough when it hits the oven, the less it will spread during baking. Also, as the dough chills, the ingredients mingle together, creating more flavor, and thus, a more tasty baked cookie.

Just be patient and you’ll be rewarded in the end.

5 Tips for the Best Cookies

• Bring ingredients to room temperature. This helps ensure that they mix together more easily and that the dough has a better texture.
• Use the right leavening–baking soda and baking powder aren’t interchangeable. And don’t omit the salt–it balances the flavors.
• Use light-colored cookie sheets for even baking. The lighter color reflects the heat and cookies won’t turn out overly brown.
• Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easy clean-up.
• Use a cool pan for each batch of cookies. If your pan is warm from the oven, the butter in the dough starts melting even before the cookies go into the oven.

Beyond ho-hum to OH, WOW!

The joy of these cookies–beyond their fun appearance–is that you can change the colors for any holiday, occasion, or whim. Use pastels for Easter, give Dad a batch for Father’s Day using his favorite colors, or create the spirals with your school colors. Anything goes. Have fun with these.

Sugar Cookie Swirls

INGREDIENTS (Makes 2 dozen)

⅔ C. shortening
⅔ C. butter
1½ C. sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3½ C. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
Red and green paste food coloring (or colors of your choice)
Decorating sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening, butter, sugar, and eggs. On low speed, beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat until well blended.

Divide the dough into three separate bowls. Mix red food coloring into one bowl–you’ll need quite a bit to get a deep, rich color. Do the same to another bowl using green. Keep the third bowl plain.

Roll out each color on separate pieces of waxed paper to about ⅛-inch thickness, making them all about the same size. Carefully flip one on top of the other, lining up the edges of the dough as much as possible and removing the waxed paper after flipping. Once stacked, use a pizza cutter to trim the edges straight.

Starting at one long side, roll the layers tightly together, lifting up the waxed paper underneath to help roll. Wrap the waxed paper around the roll and chill overnight.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Use a sharp knife to cut dough into ⅝-inch thick slices. Roll the edges in decorating sprinkles and set slices on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, until just barely done.

Peppermint Dips

For a simple cookie idea, melt 1¼ lbs. white almond bark in a double boiler over low heat. Crush 15 round peppermint candies and set aside. Using a fork, dip Oreos or chocolate wafer cookies, one at a time, into the melted bark to coat. Let excess bark drip off then gently scrape the bottom against the edge of the pan. Set on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy. Let dry.

Gift Idea:

Cut pretty paper to fit inside a cellophane bag and tuck in some of your favorite cookies. Add a paper topper and attach a ribbon.

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