Decorated Easter Sugar Cookies

Black sheep of the family?

Decorated with pre-made cookie icing and a few sprinkles.
Twirly lines easily made with a tooth pick run through the icing.

These Easter cookies are made from a super easy recipe a friend gave me from Cook's Illustrated. The dough stands up well to rolling and tastes delicious. Try it and I'm guessing it will become your favorite go to cookie recipe!

Carrot outlined in black icing and dried before filling in the colours.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup berry (or super fine) sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, unsalted,room temperature and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature

What to do

• Using a mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt - on low speed to avoid flour going everywhere!
• Keep mixing on low and add the butter one piece at a time and mix until it is crumbly.
• Add vanilla and cream cheese and continue to mix until dough forms large clumps. This won't take long - maybe a minute or so.
• Using your hands knead the dough a few times so in forms one big ball.
• Divide in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or longer.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rollout dough so it is about 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut into shapes, place on cookie sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool on sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling racks.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Makes about 36 cookies.



Happy Easter!