Description
Sparkling golden star sugar cookies bring festive magic to holiday tables, dazzling guests with their elegant royal icing and shimmer of edible glitter. Sweet memories dance across palates, inviting you to savor each glittering, delicate bite of celestial cookie perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, for extra flavor)
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Craft the cookie base by vigorously creaming butter and sugar until the mixture becomes airy and pale, then incorporate egg, vanilla, and almond extracts until smoothly integrated.
- Separately sift flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually fold into the butter mixture, ensuring thorough but gentle incorporation without overmixing.
- Form the dough into a compact disk, encase completely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for minimum 60 minutes to allow ingredients to meld and dough to firm.
- Heat oven to 350°F and prepare a lightly floured workspace. Roll chilled dough to precise 1/4-inch thickness, using star-shaped cutters to create uniform cookies. Transfer delicate shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheets with careful precision.
- Bake cookies until edges transform to a soft golden hue, approximately 8-10 minutes. Allow brief resting on baking sheet before transferring to wire cooling rack.
- Construct royal icing by whisking powdered sugar and meringue powder, gradually adding water until achieving a smooth, glossy consistency perfect for piping.
- Utilize a fine-tipped piping bag to meticulously outline and flood each star-shaped cookie. While icing remains wet, sprinkle gold edible glitter across center and strategically place sugar pearls for elegant embellishment.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain the star shape during baking.
- Use room temperature butter for smoother creaming and better cookie texture.
- Avoid overworking the dough to keep cookies tender and prevent toughness.
- For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg