Description
Delicious iced cookies perfect for the holidays, combining sugar, butter, and a creamy icing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (½ stick)
- ½ cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco, ½ stick)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ tsp anise extract (or almond extract)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp milk (if needed)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- ½ cup milk (at least 2%)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer, cream the sugar, butter, and shortening together for 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- Add the anise extract and mix well, about 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and whisk together.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once to the sugar mixture.
- Beat just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients.
- This should make a soft dough. Add 1 tbsp of milk if the mixture is too dry.
- Divide the dough into thirds or fourths and roll into logs 2-3 inches across.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and cut into ½-inch thick slices.
- Place on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake 10-12 minutes, until set and a little golden on the bottom. Do not overbake.
- Take out of the oven and place the cookies onto cooling racks.
- Let cool completely, then ice.
- Melt the butter in the top of a double-boiler or in a heat-proof bowl placed over a smaller saucepan.
- Add the milk and vanilla, stirring constantly until the mixture is hot.
- Once the mixture is hot, add the powdered sugar.
- Mix or whisk until the consistency is smooth.
- Being very careful, remove the icing from the heat.
- Dip each cookie into the icing and place on a cooling rack.
- Sprinkle with Christmas or party sprinkles or coarse sugar while still wet.
- Let set overnight or at least for several hours until completely dry.
Notes
- For a stronger flavor, consider adding more anise extract or almond extract to the icing.
- You can store undecorated cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.
- These cookies are great for holiday parties!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg