I was looking for some nut-free festive cookies to give my girls' teachers. This is a nice cut-out sugar cookie recipe that has a unique taste because it combines the spices in chai tea. The dough smells very good, and the cookie tastes like sugar cookies with hints of chai tea. You can decorate this with fun festive colored sugar crystals. It's also very good without any sugared crystals. My oldest daughter liked these.
It is however a time-consuming cookie. Took me about 2.5 ours to bake. This is because you have to give the dough 30 min to set in the fridge and then you need to cut the cookies with a cookie cutter. But they came out fairly nicely nice so would consider making them again. I've made sugar cookies before, and sometimes have trouble rolling/cutting them, or burning them. The tip to roll out the dough and stick it in the fridge for 30 min before cutting was very helpful. If the dough turns out to be sticky- just set it back in the fridge so that it's easier to cut with a cookie cutter.
The recipe says that the baking time is 8 min. However, I found that mine took 30 sec- 1 min more- perhaps because my cookies were a little larger or thicker.
Stars of Christmas (~from WSJ)
Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1¾ hours Makes: 3-4 dozen, depending on size
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix flour-spice mixture into butter-sugar mixture until just combined. Dough should be pliant.
3. Divide dough into 2 equal discs. Place each disk between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to about ¼-inch thick. Lift paper every few rolls to prevent sticking. Chill dough in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets with butter. Use a star cookie cutter to cut out stars from chilled dough. Place cookies on baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between. Re-roll and cut dough scraps as needed. (If dough gets sticky, you can chill it again briefly in refrigerator.) Sprinkle cookies with sanding sugar.
5. Bake cookies until beginning to brown at edges, 8 minutes (longer if stars are large). Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.
It is however a time-consuming cookie. Took me about 2.5 ours to bake. This is because you have to give the dough 30 min to set in the fridge and then you need to cut the cookies with a cookie cutter. But they came out fairly nicely nice so would consider making them again. I've made sugar cookies before, and sometimes have trouble rolling/cutting them, or burning them. The tip to roll out the dough and stick it in the fridge for 30 min before cutting was very helpful. If the dough turns out to be sticky- just set it back in the fridge so that it's easier to cut with a cookie cutter.
The recipe says that the baking time is 8 min. However, I found that mine took 30 sec- 1 min more- perhaps because my cookies were a little larger or thicker.
Stars of Christmas (~from WSJ)
Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1¾ hours Makes: 3-4 dozen, depending on size
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- A few grinds of black pepper
- ½ cup sanding sugar
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix flour-spice mixture into butter-sugar mixture until just combined. Dough should be pliant.
3. Divide dough into 2 equal discs. Place each disk between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to about ¼-inch thick. Lift paper every few rolls to prevent sticking. Chill dough in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets with butter. Use a star cookie cutter to cut out stars from chilled dough. Place cookies on baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between. Re-roll and cut dough scraps as needed. (If dough gets sticky, you can chill it again briefly in refrigerator.) Sprinkle cookies with sanding sugar.
5. Bake cookies until beginning to brown at edges, 8 minutes (longer if stars are large). Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.
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