Frosted Sugar Cookie Snowflakes
Active Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Cool Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 3 hrs
Yield: 2 dozen
Ingredients:
Vanilla Bean Dough:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Vanilla Buttercream:
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 (16-oz.) pkg. powdered sugar, sifted
5-6 Tbsp. whole milk, divided
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Fuchsia, super red, neon green, and teal food coloring gels
White, gold, and turquoise pearl sprinkles
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat powdered sugar, butter, and granulated sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-low; beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Beat in egg, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract until combined, 15 to 30 seconds.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat just until dough comes together, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
Divide the dough in half; shape each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days before using.
Roll half of Vanilla Bean Dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top piece of parchment paper. Cut dough using a lightly floured 4-inch snowflake cookie cutter; do not remove scraps. Transfer dough on parchment paper to a baking sheet, and freeze until firm, about 5 minutes.
Place cut dough shapes at least 3/4 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Reroll, cut, and chill dough scraps as needed. Repeat the process with the remaining dough half.
Bake in preheated oven, 1 pan at a time, until edges are set, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes; transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Prepare Vanilla Buttercream:
Beat shortening with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add butter, and beat until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
With mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 5 tablespoons of the milk, beating just until combined. Add vanilla and salt; beat on low speed just until combined, about 15 seconds. Add up to 1 tablespoon remaining milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until smooth and spreadable. Increase speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Use immediately, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month. Let frosting return to room temperature, and whisk until smooth before using.
Decorate cookies:
Place 1/2 cup Vanilla Buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a 1/8-inch round pastry tip, and set aside. Divide the remaining Vanilla Buttercream among 4 bowls. Stir together fuchsia and red food coloring gels in 1 bowl of frosting, adding gels until the desired magenta color is reached. Stir red, green, and teal food coloring gels separately into the remaining 3 bowls of frosting, adding gels until desired colors are reached.
Spoon each tinted frosting into a separate piping bag, and fit each with a coupler. Fit 1 bag with a 1/4-inch French open star piping tip; pipe tinted frosting over a cooled cookie as desired. Use reserved white buttercream to pipe a snowflake design over tinted frosting as desired. Garnish with pearl sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cookies, tinted frosting, white buttercream, and sprinkles; clean piping tip and transfer it to other piping bags as needed. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.com
