Description
Festive Christmas Present Cookies wrap holiday cheer in sweet, buttery packages decorated with ribbon-like icing. Delightful miniature gifts sparkle with sugary charm, promising joy in each delectable bite you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
Flavoring:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond extract)
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Craft the foundational dough by creaming butter and sugar until light and airy, then incorporate egg and vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Separately sift together flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure smooth ingredient integration.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing until a cohesive dough develops without overmixing.
- Partition dough into two equal portions, encase in plastic film, and chill in refrigerator for minimum 60 minutes to firm texture.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare clean work surface with light flour dusting.
- Roll chilled dough to approximately quarter-inch thickness, ensuring uniform surface.
- Utilize square cookie cutter or precision knife to shape present-like cookies with clean edges.
- Transfer delicate cookie shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheet, maintaining consistent spacing.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges transform to soft golden hue, watching carefully to prevent overcooking.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on wire rack, creating stable surface for decorative elements.
- Prepare royal icing by combining powdered sugar and meringue powder, gradually introducing water until silky consistency emerges.
- Separate icing into multiple containers and enhance with vibrant food coloring.
- Use piping bag to meticulously outline cookie perimeters, allowing initial layer to set briefly.
- Flood outlined cookies with smooth icing layer, creating polished presentation.
- Once base layer dries, embellish with contrasting color ribbons, bows, and optional edible glitter for festive finishing touch.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain the crisp present shape during baking.
- Use a sturdy royal icing that sets quickly for clean, precise decorative details on the cookie surface.
- For gluten-free variations, swap wheat flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to keep the same texture and structure.
- Create uniform cookie sizes by rolling dough between parchment paper sheets and using a template for consistent present shapes.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg