Buttons For Eyes Cookies Recipes

CRISP BUTTON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and cardamom; gradually beat into creamed mixture. If desired, divide dough into portions; tint with food coloring. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. With the top of a 1/4-cup measuring cup dipped in flour, press an indented edge into each cookie. Using a plastic straw, cut out four holes near the center of the cookie., Bake 10-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Lace licorice through the holes in each button; trim licorice.

SUPER CHOCOLATEY BUTTONS

Steps:

• Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.)
• Put the butter, unsweetened chocolate and 4 ounces semisweet chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
• Stir the granulated and light brown sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.
• Whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa and the salt in another bowl. Add them to the egg mixture and stir until just mixed. Stir in the remaining chip-size semisweet chocolate. Cover and refrigerate the dough until firm enough to scoop, about 1 hour.
• Roll the dough into scant 1 tablespoon (about 3/4 inch) balls and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder and the confectioners' sugar in two separate bowls for rolling. Roll the dough balls in the confectioners' sugar, then in the cocoa powder and place on the baking sheets. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

EYEBALL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt 4 ounces of white chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip vanilla wafers in melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Chill until set., Melt remaining white chocolate; stir until smooth. Tint as desired. Spread a small amount onto the center of each cookie; place a chocolate chip in the center. , For bloodshot eyes, use a toothpick dipped in red food coloring to draw lines from circles to outer edges of wafers. Chill until set. Store in an airtight container.