Star Confetti Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium for 3 minutes. Beat in the 2 beaten eggs and vanilla.
• Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture 1 cup at a time. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten them into neat rectangles about 3/4-inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours.
• Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for about 10 minutes. Roll it out on a lightly-floured piece of parchment to 3/16-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 3- to 3 1/4-inch cookie cutter and arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the second piece of dough, rerolling and cutting the scraps as necessary.
• To make ring imprints on the cookies, press the rim of a small glass or bowl (about 2 1/2-inches wide) halfway into each dough round. Freeze the cookies on the cookie sheets for 20 minutes. (This will help the cookies hold their imprints.)
• Combine the remaining egg with 6 drops of yellow food coloring and 1 teaspoon water. Whisk together with a fork to make an egg wash.
• At the top of each cookie, use a wide straw or the tip of a sharp paring knife to cut a circle or rectangle wide enough to thread a ribbon through. Working with 2 to 3 cookies at a time, lightly brush the rounds with egg wash (avoid the imprint) and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Lightly tap each cookie on the counter to shake off excess (the frozen dough will be sturdy enough to withstand this).
• Bake the cookies until set and the edges are beginning to brown, 14 to 18 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets once. Transfer the sheets to a baking rack and cool the cookies completely on the sheets. (If the holes for the ribbon have closed up a bit, just cut away some of the dough with a paring knife while the cookies are still warm).
• Thread a yard of ribbon through each cookie and tie the ends.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter, eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in cake mix. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until firm enough to roll. , Preheat oven to 350°. On a well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired. Freeze option: Transfer dough to a resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator until soft enough to roll. Prepare and bake cookies as directed; decorate as desired.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange juice concentrate and vanilla. , Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 2 hours., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. star-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 7-8 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and cream of tartar; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, 4-5 minutes. Tint 9 Tbsp. red and 2 Tbsp. tablespoons black. Leave remaining icing white. Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture., Place red icing in a pastry bag. With a #3 round pastry tip, pipe Santa's hats and suits. Once the red icing is dry, use black icing with a #1 round tip for eyes, mittens, belts and boots. With white frosting and a #2 round tip, add the trim for hats and suits. Use the same tip for mustaches and beards. If desired, use sprinkles for belt buckles and mouth.

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl.
• Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, then vanilla. Refrigerate dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out various star shapes using 3-to-4-inch cutters. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 inch apart.
• Bake until cookies are just turning gold around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets set on wire racks for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks. Let cool completely.
• Make the icing: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until icing is glossy-white and holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface for 5 seconds when beater is raised, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe an outline of icing around the edges, then flood each cookie with more icing to cover. Sift edible silver dust over cookies. Let cookies dry completely.