Bakers Chocolate Sparkle Sugar Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Dust 2 large pieces of parchment paper or 2 silicone baking mats with cocoa powder (or flour). Place a dough half on each. With a rolling pin lightly dusted with cocoa powder (or flour), roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more cocoa powder/flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
• Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with cocoa powder or flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough, using more cocoa powder or flour to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin, and continue cutting the dough until all is used. Work quickly so the dough doesn't become too warm or soft. If it does, stop what you're doing and place any unused dough back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to stiffen up again. Repeat cutting into shapes with 2nd half of dough. (Note: It doesn't seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
• Arrange shaped cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until edges are set. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
• Prepare the royal icing or easy glaze icing and decorate the cooled cookies however you'd like. Add sprinkles on top of the icing if desired.
• Royal icing dries in about 2 hours and easy glaze icing dries in 24 hours. No need to cover the decorated cookies as you wait for the icing to set. If it's helpful, transfer cookies to a baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator to help slightly speed up the icing setting.
• Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets to serve them. Once the icing has set, these cookies are great for gifting or for sending. Plain or decorated cookies stay soft for about 5 days when covered tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

SPARKLE SWEETHEART COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high speed until relatively smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 30-60 minutes and up to 3-4 days. If chilling for longer than 2-3 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard and the cookies may not spread.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
• Pour sanding sugar in a bowl or, if using multiple colors, a few separate bowls.
• Roll balls of cookie dough, about 1 Tablespoon of dough per cookie, then roll each ball in the sanding sugar to coat. Place each dough ball 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Using the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass, gently press down on each dough ball to slightly flatten. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Press a chocolate heart into each cookie and quickly stick the baking sheet in the freezer or fridge so the warm cookie does not completely melt the chocolate heart. Let the chocolate set (about 15 minutes) on the cookies in the freezer/refrigerator.
• Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.

BAKER'S ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating with electric mixer on low speed after each addition until well blended. Add vanilla; mix well.
• Add 1/2 cup of the flour, the baking soda and salt; beat until well blended. Add remaining 2 cups flour alternately with water, beating until well blended after each addition. Pour evenly into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Spread with your favorite frosting, if desired. (NOTE: Nutrition information is for unfrosted cake.)

CHOCOLATE SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over, but not touching, simmering water.
• Remove from the heat.
• Cut the butter into a few pieces and mix into the chocolate until melted.
• Beat the eggs with an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar until ribbons form (about 4 minutes on medium-high).
• Fold in the chocolate-butter mixture.
• Gently add the ground almonds.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a cookie scoop to form the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Roll the balls in granulated sugar, place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and immediately place in the oven.
• Bake until the center of the cookies is no longer wet, 9 to 12 minutes.
• When slightly cool, lightly dust the cookies with powdered sugar.

BAKER'S CHOCOLATE SPARKLE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Microwave bittersweet chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended.
• Beat eggs in large bowl with mixer until thick and lemon colored. Blend in honey. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating well after each addition. Continue beating 10 min. or until mixture is thickened and falls from spoon in thick ribbons. Blend in bittersweet chocolate mixture. Add nuts and cocoa powder; mix well. Refrigerate 6 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls; roll in remaining sugar until evenly coated.
• Place, 2 inches apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets.
• Bake 12 min. or just until centers are set. (Do not overbake.) Cool on baking sheet 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.