Santa Slice And Bake Cookies Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
• Transfer 1 tablespoon dough to a small bowl and add 1 drop orange food coloring. Use a small spoon to mix until an even vibrant orange; set aside. Add 1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring to the dough left in the bowl and mix on low until an even vibrant yellow. Refrigerate both doughs on a baking sheet, uncovered, until just firm, about 20 minutes.
• Roll the yellow dough into an 8-inch cylinder, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Flatten the top of the log slightly to form an oval or egg-shaped log. Roll the orange dough into an 8-inch rope. Press into a triangular shape by flattening the sides (a ruler is helpful for this). Freeze both doughs on a baking sheet, uncovered, until hard, about 20 minutes.
• Slice lengthwise through the yellow log, cutting off the top third and making 2 half-moon logs, one larger and one smaller. Make a small slit, about 1/8 inch deep, down the length of the larger log on the center flat side. Gently insert one of the pointed sides of the orange dough into the slit, being careful not to flatten out the triangle. Place the smaller log on top and press together to seal and re-form into an egg-shaped log, making sure the edges are smooth. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour.
• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Cut 1/4 inch off each end of the log with a very sharp knife. Slice the cylinder into 24 cookies, each about 1/3 inch thick. Arrange the slices about 1 inch 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.
• Make the icing: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use to prevent the icing from drying out. (Makes about 2 1/4 cups.)
• When ready to ice the cookies, transfer about 1/2 cup of the icing to a resealable plastic bag and snip a small opening in one corner. Use this icing to pipe a thin border around the bottom half of each cookie and make an outline of a cracked eggshell about halfway up. Let set for a few minutes.
• Thin the remaining icing with a few drops of water until it's the consistency of syrup. Transfer about 1 cup of the thinned icing to a resealable plastic bag. Divide the remaining thinned icing among 3 small bowls and tint each with a different color of pastel food coloring; transfer each color to a separate resealable plastic bag.
• Snip a corner of the white icing bag and pipe a generous amount inside the icing border of each cookie. Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the icing to cover the cookie inside the border. Use the white icing to attach 2 mini chips for the eyes. Snip a corner of each pastel-tinted icing bag and use them to decorate the eggshells. Decorate with sprinkles or decorating sugar as desired. Let the icing dry completely before serving, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the whole egg and vanilla and peppermint extracts. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium high; beat until combined.
• Transfer 1/3 cup dough to a medium bowl and 1 cup dough to a separate bowl; leave the remaining dough (about 2 cups) in the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1 teaspoon white food coloring into the 1/3 cup dough. Fold 3/4 teaspoon red food coloring into the 1 cup dough. Fold 3/4 teaspoon green food coloring into the 2 cups dough. Transfer each color of dough to a separate piece of plastic wrap, flatten into disks and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the white dough and roll one-quarter of the dough into a 12-inch rope; shape the remaining white dough into a 1-by-12-inch rectangle. Place both on the prepared baking sheet; freeze until ready to use. Shape the red dough into a 1-by-12-inch rectangle (it will be thicker than the white one). Remove the white dough from the freezer, brush the top of the white rectangle with the beaten egg white and top with the red dough, pressing to adhere. Use your hands to shape the top of the red dough to make it triangular. Attach the white rope to the top of the red dough (it should look like a Santa hat from the side of the dough block). Freeze until firm, 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll the green dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper into an 8-by-13-inch rectangle. Remove the red and white dough from the freezer and place on the green dough. Wrap the green dough around the hat, pressing into a triangular log. Roll the log in green sanding sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350˚. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough; trim a thin slice off each end. Slice the dough 1/4 inch thick; arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm but not browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on the pans.

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth., Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on wire racks. For Santa's hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate. Press one vanilla chip off-center on hat for pompom; let stand until set., Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered. Place on wire racks. With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for eyes and a Red Hot for nose. Place on waxed paper until set.

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, whisk remaining ingredients; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough into quarters; shape each into a 12-in.-long roll. Wrap tightly in waxed paper; refrigerate overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap rolls and cut dough crosswise into 3/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.