Stenciled Chocolate Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a flexible spatula until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Add the egg and vanilla and stir until well combined.
• Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the flour. Fold with the spatula until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough comes together.
• Shape the dough into a disc, then cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes to overnight.
• Meanwhile Using thick paper and a craft knife, cut out a round stencil of your choosing. Set aside.
• Cut a square from a double layer of cheesecloth. Place the cocoa powder in the center. Gather the edges, twist, and tie with kitchen string to create a sachet.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. Place chilled dough on work surface and lightly dust with flour. Roll the dough out to ¼-inch (6-mm) thick, lifting and turning the dough as you roll to keep it from sticking. Using a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Gather scraps of dough and reroll to cut out more rounds, lightly dusting the work surface with flour as needed.
• Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch (2 ½ cm) apart.
• Place the stencil over a dough round, making sure to press down, and gently dab with the cocoa powder sachet to cover completely.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until pale golden. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt; process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until combined. Form dough into an 8-inch-long round or square log; wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm, 30 minutes (or up to 1 month).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Dip edges in sugar if desired and transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• To decorate: On desired paper, draw shape (use a cutter as a guide). Fold paper in half and cut out shape, leaving border intact.
• Lay either stencil on cookie. With a fine-mesh sieve, dust cookie with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder.
• Carefully lift off stencil.