Smiley Face Cookies Sugar Cookie Food

SMILEY FACE COOKIES - SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Begin by creaming together sugar, butter, egg, and milk.
• Add dry ingredients including flour, salt, and baking powder.
• Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut cookies with a 4-inch cookie cutter.
• Carefully transfer the cookies with a flat spatula to a parchment-covered baking pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It's important that you don't overcook or the cookies will not be soft.
• Allow the cookies to cool.

PENGUIN SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in 1 egg and the vanilla until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
• Turn out all but 1/4 cup of the dough onto a floured surface. Add 3 drops orange food coloring to the dough left in the bowl and mix on low until evenly colored a vibrant orange. Flatten the orange dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until just firm, about 20 minutes.
• Wipe the mixing bowl and paddle clean and add 3/4 cup of the remaining uncolored dough back into the bowl. Add 4 drops black food coloring and mix on low until evenly colored a deep black. Form the black dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until just firm, about 20 minutes.
• Make the penguin's body: Roll the remaining uncolored dough into a cylinder 9- to 10-inches long and about 1 1/2-inches wide. Wrap in plastic and set aside at room temperature.
• Divide the orange dough into 3 equal pieces (these will be the feet and the nose). Roll into 3 ropes, 9- to 10-inches long and about 1/3-inch wide. Press one rope into a triangle shape by flattening the sides (a ruler is helpful for this). Wrap the orange pieces separately in plastic and freeze until hard, about 15 minutes.
• Slice through the uncolored cylinder lengthwise to make 2 long half-moons. Brush both halves on the cut side with the egg wash. Press the orange triangle rope down the center of the cut side of one of the halves. Cover with the other half and press together to seal and re-form into a cylinder.
• Make the black part of the penguin's body: On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the black dough into a 1/4-inch thick 9-by-4-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Use the rolling pin to flatten each of the long sides out 1 inch more so that the edges are thinner and the rectangle mounds in the center. The rectangle should be 9 by 6 inches. Brush the black rectangle with the egg wash then wrap it around the uncolored cylinder, pushing with your hands to adhere the doughs. There will be a thicker layer of black dough on top of the cylinder (the penguin's head) and a thinner layer on the bottom.
• Adhere the feet: Brush the thinner, bottom part of the black dough with egg wash and press the 2 thin orange ropes along the length of the dough about 1/4 inch apart (these will be the feet). Wrap in plastic and use the heels of your hands to form the log into an egg shape; the head should be the narrow end. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Cut 1/4 inch off each end of the cylinder with a very sharp knife to reveal the penguin face. Slice the cylinder into about 1/4-inch-thick cookies. Arrange the slices about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until crisp and just starting to turn brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Line another baking sheet with parchment. Melt the red candy melts in a small glass bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth. Dip the top of each penguin's head in the red candy melts to make a hat; dip the heads slightly off-center for a jaunty look. Put the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Stick a marshmallow on the center of each hat for a pompom and let the candy melts harden, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the white candy melts in a glass bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until completely melted and smooth. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag and seal. Cut a very small hole in one of the corners of the bag and decorate the hat as desired. Use the white candy melts to attach 2 mini chips for the eyes. Let the candy melts harden completely before serving, about 15 minutes.

CANDY CANE SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Arrange the oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°F). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and the brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and fully combined, 2-3 minutes (alternatively, use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer). Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
• Transfer half of the dough (about 2 cups/420 grams) to a medium bowl. Add the peppermint extract and red food coloring to the remaining dough in the stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed until evenly colored, 1-2 minutes. Cover both bowls of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Take 1 tablespoon of each dough and roll them into 4-inch-long ropes. Press the ropes together, twirl them into a spiral, then roll into a ball using the palms of your hands. Repeat with the remaining dough. (Tip: wear rubber gloves to prevent the food coloring from staining your skin.)
• Roll each cookie dough ball in the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, then place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 3 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets and swapping from top to bottom rack halfway through, until they are lightly browned on the edges and puffed, 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately bang the baking sheets on the countertop to deflate the cookies slightly. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Enjoy!