Christmas Candy Cookies
Decorate orange-flavored sugar cookies with M&M candies for a special Christmas treat. I give you directions to make large and small cookies, so use any cutters you own. Brushing cookies with egg white ensures that your decorations will stick.
Prep: 30 minutes Chill dough: 2 hours to 24 hours Shape and decorate: 1 hour Bake: 9 minutes Bake at: 350° Makes: 20 large or 45 small cookies
Pan: 2 baking sheets Difficulty: intermediate
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons fresh orange rind
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 large egg, separated, yolk at room temperature
2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
small pinch salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold (see "tips)
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup (102g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sanding sugar (garnish)
Large cookies - 4 ounces M&M candies (garnish)
Small cookies - 8 ounces mini-M&M candies (garnish)
Parchment paper
Directions:
Bring egg yolk and butter to room temperature.
Grate fresh orange rind, measure orange juice, and set aside. Separate egg and refrigerate white until needed. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
Use an electric mixer on low speed to whip shortening for 30 seconds. Add butter and beat together for 1 minute. Gradually add sugar with mixer running and then beat for 1 minute more. Add egg yolk, orange rind and juice, and vanilla, and beat until almost incorporated. Add flour mixture in 3 parts; beat first 2 parts until halfway incorporated and last part until flour is just blended. Divide dough, form into 2 balls, and press flat with your palm. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Remove 1 disk from refrigerator and let warm to malleable consistency, about 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1/4" thick and cut out desired shapes. Place cut-outs on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and space 1" apart. Let second dough ball warm while you decorate the first tray of cookies.
Brush top of cut-outs with egg white. Dust with sanding sugar. Press M&M candies lightly into dough in desired pattern. Refrigerate tray for 10-15 minutes before baking. Repeat process with second disk. Pre-heat the oven to 350° while first tray of decorated cookies is chilling.
Bake each tray separately for 9 minutes at 350° until dry on edges and very light brown on the bottom. Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight tin for 4 days with cookie layers separated by wax paper. Freeze cookies for up to 3 weeks.
Tips:
- You can substitute 4 tablespoons butter for shortening. Dough will be harder to handle, and cookies are more fragile.