Almost-Too-Pretty-to-Eat Sugar Cookies
Parsley aside, I can go through the holidays without eating a single vegetable. Instead, my diet consists mostly of sugar cookies, sometimes in the shapes of vegetables like Christmas trees (a reach, I know) and holly (an even bigger reach), but definitely nothing green. Except green frosting. Okay, so maybe I’ve actually found a way to say I eat my greens and vegetables during the holidays? Now that you’ve got a feel for how my brain operates, you can a) pity what my parents went through during dinnertime when I was a child; and b) justify your excessive sugar cookie consumption with this tried-and-true brown-butter recipe that is scrumptious year-round. Just be ready to embrace your inevitable spot on the naughty list, which, honestly, is the more fun place to be.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- FOR THE ROYAL ICING
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- Food coloring
- Sprinkles optional
- Glitter optional
- Sanding sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling the pan, until golden brown in color, about 10 minutes.
- The butter should smell nutty.
- Pour the brown butter into a bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the cookie dough out into a ¼-inch-thick round.
- Using a 2½-inch round cookie cutter, cut the cookies out and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the royal icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth.
- Add the corn syrup and whisk until the icing is smooth and glossy.
- Divide the icing into bowls and add as many food colorings as you’d like.
- Whisk to combine.
- Dip the cooled cookies in the royal icing, spread it on with a small offset spatula or knife, or pipe it onto the cookies.
- Feel free to use a toothpick to draw designs.
- Top with sprinkles, glitter, or sanding sugar, if desired.