Easter Bonnets Shortbread Cookies Recipes

SHORTBREAD COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla; add flour and mix well.
• Put through cookie press and form cookies onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

EASTER BONNETS (SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Steps:

• MAKE THE COOKIES:.
• Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed for about 1 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Sift together the flour and salt. Blend into the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and no streaks of flour remain. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions; pat each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Working with 1 disk at a time (leave the others chilling), place it between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap and roll out 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top piece of waxed paper, and using a 3-inch scalloped or straight-edged biscuit or cooking cutter, cut out at leas 6 cookies. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Reserve the dough scraps. Repeat with the remaining dough disks. Re-roll all the scraps and cut out at least 24 smaller cookies with a 1-inch straight-edged cookie cutter.
• The smaller cookies will be the crown of the bonnets and large cookies will be the brims.
• Place the smaller cookies on a second parchment-lined baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Refrigerate both baking sheets until the cookies are very firm, about 2 hours. If chilling longer than 2 hours cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Preheat the oven to 300°.
• Bake the cookies until firm and lightly golden for just about 20 minutes. They'll taste bitter if allowed to bake too darkly. Let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• MAKE ICING:.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites (or reconstituted meringue powder) with an electric mixer set on low speed until frothy. Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl. Slowly increase the mixer speed to high and continue and continue beating until brilliant white, firm, and fluffy, this takes about 10 minutes. You should have 2 1/2-3cups. Scoop out 1 cup of the icing and set aside to use for piping.
• Thin the remaining icing with water, adding 2-3 teaspoons at a time until is is of pouring consistency. Divide among as many small bows as different colors you wish to create, then tint the portions. Place the cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and pour the thinned icing over them. If necessary, shake the cookies to ease the icing over the edges. This should cover the cookies with a thin, even layer. Allow to dry completely.
• Tint the 1 cup icing if desired. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a number 2 plain decorating tip for squiggles, dots, scrolls, and stripes or a number 4 plain tip for piping a ribbon. To create the bonnet, pipe a small amount of icing on the back of the smaller cookie and attach it onto the center of the larger cookie.
• Decorate your bonnet according to your personality or those of your guests. And don't forger to sing along with July Garland -- "in your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it".

EASTER BONNET COOKIES

Steps:

• Lightly ice Walkers Shortbread Rounds and place a marshmallow in the center. This will give the hat its structure and still be edible.
• Roll out pastel-colored fondant and cut a circle that is about 1 inch larger than the diameter of the Round.
• Center the fondant circle over the marshmallow on the cookie, and place it on top smoothing it out; trim excess fondant around the cookie perimeter.
• Decorate with fondant ribbons and flowers, sugar flowers, or mini candies.

GRANNY'S SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream together the butter, sugar, salt, nutmeg and egg yolk. Add the flour a little at a time until mixture is stiff.
• Place onto floured board and knead lightly until the dough begins to crack. Roll out 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.
• Place on un-greased cookie sheet, decorate with colored sugar crystals and maraschino cherries.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

SHORTBREAD ORNAMENT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water and extracts until mixture forms a ball. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , For icing, in a large bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk. Divide into small bowls; tint with food coloring if desired. Gently spread over cookies. Decorate as desired.