Poinsettia Cookies

Submitted by Bev I Am

"It's time for preparing those Christmas goodies! Prep time includes time to chill, baby, chill! ;) From Parade food editor, Sheila Lukins."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 8mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 60 cookies

ingredients

• 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• red decorating sugar, for garnish

directions

1. Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
2. Add confectioners' sugar; beat well.
3. Beat in the egg and extracts.
4. Blend in the flour and salt.
5. Form the dough into two disks and wrap them in plastic.
6. Chill the dough well.
7. Remove one disk from the refrigerator.
8. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.
9. Cut into 11/2-inch squares, then cut from each corner of the square almost to the center.
10. Turn over every other cut point to the center and press gently, forming a pinwheel (or poinsettia).
11. Sprinkle the center of each with red sugar.
12. Repeat with the second disk of dough.
13. Preheat oven to 350°F.
14. Place the cookies on greased baking sheets and bake until very lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Reviews

[pedspeech]

These cookies tasted okay but I was disappointed with the results after putting so much work into them. My kitchen may have been too warm (I was baking another batch of cookies when I started these) but I had a terrible time shaping this dough. I had to put the dough in the freezer after I rolled them out because there was no way to cut them with the softness of the dough. After placing in the freezer for about 10 minutes I was able to cut the squares and cut from the corners but only with kitchen shears as I never could get a knife to work. I had several cycles of freezing and cutting (working with small amounts each time) to try to get these shaped as I pictured. Finally did get the desired result, but it never looked perfect. After all of that work I was expecting more! Thanks for the idea, though.

 

[HulaHealthPrincess]

cute idea! I used red food coloring to add to the dough so they were really red! then sprinkled on red decorator sugar for some sparkle.

 

[Charishma_Ramchandani]

I particularly like the appearance of these before they are baked , they reseble our popular Indian sweet 'ladoo'!! Very nice cookies. Thank you for sharing.