Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide into four portions. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets; cut out centers using a floured 1-in. round cookie cutter., Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough., For frosting, in a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, shortening, maple flavoring and enough milk to achieve piping consistency., Place 3/4 cup frosting in a small bowl; tint with red food coloring. Tint remaining frosting green. Using a #13 star tip, pipe green frosting over cookies. With a #2 round tip and red frosting, pipe bows onto wreaths.,

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, sour cream and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add egg, lime peel, lime juice and vanilla; beat until smooth. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt until dough forms. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Place pastry cloth on work surface; sprinkle with flour. With floured cloth-covered rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with floured 3-inch fluted cutter. With 1-inch scalloped or fluted canapé cutter, cut out center of each circle. On ungreased cookie sheet, place wreath cutouts 1 inch apart. Cut each small cutout in half; brush backs of small cutouts with water and place on wreaths for bows. Repeat with second disk of dough.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges start to brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool completely.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice with wire whisk. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is thin. Working with a few cookies at a time, brush glaze over cookies and immediately decorate with sugars and sprinkles as desired. Let stand until set. Store in layers with waxed paper between.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tint dough with food color as desired. Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Roll out 1 disk on a lightly floured piece of parchment to a 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Using a 2 1/2-inch fluted round cutter, cut out rounds. Using a 3/4-inch fluted round cutter, cut out centers of cookies. Transfer wreaths and, if desired, fluted cutouts to parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush wreaths and fluted cutouts with water, and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake until cookies are firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely. If desired, affix fluted cutouts and candies to wreaths using a dot of glaze.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, orange zest and extract. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough in half; tint one portion green with food coloring., For each wreath, shape two 6-inch ropes using 2 teaspoons plain dough for one and 2 teaspoons green dough for the other. Place the two ropes side by side; press together lightly, then twist several times. Shape into a circle, pinching ends to seal. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough., Cut candied cherries into small pieces and place on wreaths to decorate as desired, pressing lightly to adhere. Bake cookies 6-8 minutes or until set and bottoms are light brown., Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Sugar Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, orange zest, and brandy until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. On a lightly floured surface, shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes using a 3 1/2-inch fluted round. Use a 1-inch round cutter to cut out centers of cookies. Reroll scraps once (you should have about 16 cookies). Transfer both wreaths and cookie centers to prepared sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Bake until set and golden around edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar, egg white, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth. If necessary, add remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice to reach desired consistency. Glaze should be opaque but not too thick as to run down the edges of the cookie once dipped. If not using immediately, glaze can be stored at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 2 days, or in refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Working with one cookie at a time, dip cookie top-side down in glaze to coat surface, allowing excess glaze to drip back into bowl. If glaze runs down sides of cookie and is too transparent, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If glaze is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Transfer glazed cookies to a wire rack or baking sheet. Working quickly before glaze sets, decorate cookies with toppings, if desired. Let stand at room temperature until completely dry, at least 2 hours. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.