Sugar Rimmed Sugar Cookies Recipe

To me, these cookies are in between a sugar and a shortbread cookie - very buttery but a bit chewier than a regular shortbread.

I love this recipe because:

• few ingredients are needed
• can make the dough and then refrigerate overnight so time commitment is minimal
• the decoration is quick and easy
• no rolling of the dough!
• taste amazing
• flavour gets even better if you can let them sit a day or two
• sanding sugar easily goes with any theme - orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, blue and green for the Canucks!

Adapted from a recipe by the beyond talented Regan Daley

Ingredients
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk for adhering sprinkles
various sanding sugars - 1/3 c per colour


What to do

• Cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light, and creamy.
• Add vanilla.
• Gently mix in flour. Less is more here - you don't want tough cookies.
• Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap so they form a long cylinder of dough (like a soup can shape) that is about 2 inches in diameter. 
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.Work quickly with one portion of dough at a time, leaving the other in the refrigerator.
• Brush the first cylinder with the lightly beaten egg yolk.
• Roll the dough into rainbow sprinkles. If you want many coloured sprinkles then cut dough in smaller pieces and then roll in chosen colours. Rotate the log every few slices to avoid flattening the roll on any one side.
• With a sharp knife slice the dough into 3/8-inch wide slices.
• Place on baking sheets about 3/4 inch apart.
• Repeat the procedure with second log.
• Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms begin to colour. Watch carefully every oven is different!
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.