Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies
“Mama only rolls dough, cuts out cookies and ices them for baby Jesus.”
I think was my response to Madeline a few years ago when she asked why we didn’t make homemade sugar cookies for every holiday! Don't get me wrong - I love to cook, but baking - not so much. Despite MY feelings toward baking, it is still something that I want to share with my kids and teach them how to do.
So Christmastime has always been the ONE time when I roll up my sleeves, let flour get all over my house, and whip up a batch of icing - and I never regret doing it! My go-to recipe? This one from Southern Living that I found last year is the best! It’s super-simple, makes the best cookies and icing, and is really hard to mess up. Find the recipe below!
Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies
Perfect for home or a get together, you’ll love this festive holiday cookie. Recipe from Southern Living.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 (32-ounce) package powdered sugar (about 7 ½ cups)
4 teaspoons meringue powder
10 to 12 tablespoons warm water
Black cookie icing
Mini M & M’s or Candy-Coated Sunflower Seeds
METHOD
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until blended.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Shape dough into 2-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 325˚ for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden (do not brown). Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 10 tbsp. warm water at high speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, using whisk attachment, 5 minutes or until glossy. Stir in up to 2 Tbsp. more warm water, 1 tsp. at a time, until mixture reaches desired consistency.
Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a thin round tip. Pipe a thin border around the edge of the cookie. Fill in the center of the cookie with an even layer of icing. To smooth the surface, swirl a wooden pick in a circular motion around the entire pool of icing, starting at the edges and moving toward the center. Allow icing to dry completely.
Using the black cookie icing and a thin round piping tip, pipe along the outside of each cookie, creating loops and curves to emulate tangled holiday lights. Decorate with mini colored candies.
