Nutcracker Cookies

These Nutcracker Cookies are decorated in delicate pastel hues and celebrate the Land of Sweets! Get our tutorial to make these for your next Nutcracker party!

Makes 2 dozen cookies

COOKIE INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks butter), room temperature
1 cups sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon cream
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS

Make cookie batter – In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla extract and milk or cream. Cream well. Sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Shape mixture into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.

2. Bake cookies – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap, and place on a floured surface. Roll to ½ inch thickness and cut out snowflake and tree shapes. Place cookies on a prepared baking sheet 3 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Decorate – After cookies are completely cooled, decorate using the tutorials below. Our favorite recipe for royal icing are below.

ROYAL ICING

4 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6-8 tablespoons warm water
Sky Blue gel icing
Leaf Green gel icing

Make Royal Icing – Combine confectioner’s sugar, meringue powder, and 6 tablespoons of warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for approximately 2 minutes. When you lift up the whisk attachment, the royal icing should drizzle down. Add more water 1/2 tablespoon at a time to achieve desired consistency. If icing is too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar.

Divide icing into three bowls. Tint one green, one blue, and leave one white. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add blue and green icing each to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a medium round tip. Add white icing to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a small round tip.

COOKIE DECORATIONS

White Royal Icing (see recipe above)
Sky Blue Royal Icing
Leaf Green Royal Icing
Pearl, pink, and gold ball candies

Snowflake Cookies – Outline the cookie with blue icing. Then fill in the center. Use a toothpick to smooth out. Allow to set until firm. When Royal Icing is set, pipe snowflake details in the center of the cookie. Add a pearl candy to the center of the cookie.

Tree Cookies – Outline the cookie with green icing. Then fill in the center. Use a toothpick to smooth out. While still wet, create a garland with ball candies.