These Embroidered Sugar Cookies are the work of Jackie Alpers, the author of Sprinkles!, a cookbook full of things like Sprinkles-Stuffed French Toast, Sweetheart Party Popcorn, and a step-by-step photo guide on how to cover a cake in sprinkles (i.e., a groundbreaking work of culinary happiness and sugar philosophy).
To make them you will need:
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla.
Beat to combine.
Mix in the flour mixture.
Dough will be smooth and firm, but don't overmix.
Divide dough in half and shape into 2.5-inch-thick disks.
Cover the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.
When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 325°F, place dough on a lightly floured surface, and dust dough with more flour.
Roll each disk to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
Cut out cookies!
Put them about 2 inches apart a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10–15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make frosting. You will need:
Beat cream cheese for 1 minute at medium speed until creamy and soft.
Add confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes more or until no lumps remain.
Once cookies are done, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Frost the cookies.
1. Pipe a line of frosting around the outside of the cookie like this.
2. Fill in the circle of frosting by lining it with concentric circles, as above.
3. Let the frosting harden for 15-20 minutes.
If you don't have a piping bag, just fill a plastic zippy bag and cut off one of the corners with a pair of scissors.
Place 1 dragée, quin sprinkle, or pearl sprinkle in the center.
Using tweezers, surround it with jimmies in any color.
Build the stem and leaf out of green jimmies.
Embroidered Sugar Cookies
Recipe from Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts by Jackie Alpers
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS
Sugar Cookie Dough
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg, at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting and Topping
3 cups Royal Icing (recipe below)
1/3 cup tinted sanding sugar
1/2 cup amount jimmies, in several colors
1/4 cup yellow dragées
PREPARATION
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
2. In another bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture until dough is smooth and firm.
3. Divide dough in half and shape into two 1/2-inch-thick disks. Cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. (At this point the dough can be covered in plastic wrap, sealed in a zip- top plastic bag, and frozen for up to 2 weeks.)
4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and dust dough with more flour. Gently roll each disk to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a cookie cutter, cut out cookies and then place about 1-inch apart on prepared sheets.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks with a metal spatula and let cool.
7. Decorate cookies with icing, colored sugars, and sprinkles. Use clean hands or kitchen tweezers to place jimmies on cookies in a decorative pattern. For flowers, place 1 dragée at the center of each blossom.
Draw inspiration for cookie decoration from embroidery, cross-stitch, or your favorite floral patterns.
Sugar Cookie Frosting
Recipe from Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts by Jackie Alpers
Makes 3 cups
This delicious cream-cheese-based frosting stays soft long enough for you to
decorate your cookies, and then it develops a smooth, slightly shiny surface that holds
the sprinkles in place. It's a softer alternative to royal icing.
INGREDIENTS
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup sprinkles, if desired
PREPARATION
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese for 1 minute, or until creamy and soft. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, or until smooth and fluffy.
2. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes more, or until no lumps remain. Taste and beat in sprinkles (if necessary) and more confectioners' sugar as needed.
For more adorable sprinkle ideas, check out the cookbook.
