Merry Mitten Cookies
Active Time: 45 mins
Cool Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins
Yield: 30 cookies
Ingredients:
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
Super red food coloring gel
Leaf green food coloring gel
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 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.
Turn out the Dough onto a clean work surface, and divide it in half. Place 1 half in a mixing bowl; knead in red food coloring gel using a gloved hand until the desired color is reached (gloves are not required, but dye will stain your hands). Transfer dough to a clean work surface. Place the remaining half of the dough in a mixing bowl; knead in green food coloring gel (using a clean glove) until the desired color is reached. Wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
Roll red dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat the process with green dough and 2 more sheets of parchment paper.
Remove the top piece of parchment paper. Cut red dough using a 3 1/2-inch mitten cookie cutter; use a 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out in tops of mittens. (Do not remove heart shapes.) Repeat the process with green dough, cutting out the same number of mittens and hearts as red dough. Transfer dough shapes on parchment paper to baking sheets; freeze until firm, about 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the heart-shaped cutout from each mitten. Transfer mitten-shaped cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 3/4 inch apart. Press red hearts into holes left in green mittens and green hearts into holes left in red mittens. Reroll, cut, and chill dough scraps as needed.
Bake in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges are set, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets on a wire rack 5 minutes; transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.com
