POINSETTIA PULL APART COOKIES

dazzle at your next holiday party with this show-stopping cookie display! these buttery almond shortbread cookies are easy to whip up and surprisingly simple to arrange into a beautiful poinsettia.

Time: 135 minutes

Number Of Ingredients: 8

Ingredients: unsalted butter', "confectioners' sugar", 'granulated sugar,almond extract,flour,food coloring,sugar,icing

Steps:

1. beat butter in standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamy
2. add confectioners sugar and beat
3. ? add granulated sugar and beat
4. scrape down sides
5. add almond extract and beat
6. add flour in two additions , beat until combined after each addition
7. transfer 2 tablespoons of dough to a small bowl
8. transfer cup of dough to another bowl and color green with gel food coloring using a small spatula
9. add teaspoon of red gel coloring to remaining dough in stand mixer and beat on low until combined
10. roll out all the dough to about each thick between two sheets of parchment
11. chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour
12. preheat oven to 350 f and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper
13. cut a 2-inch round from the plain uncolored dough
14. transfer to prepared baking sheet
15. cut 6 leaves with a large leaf cutter from the green dough
16. transfer to the same baking sheet as the 2-inch round
17. top the green leaves with coarse green sanding sugar
18. ? chill for at least 30 minutes
19. cut 17 leaves with a large cutter from the red dough
20. transfer to prepared baking sheet
21. make a crease in center with a skewer
22. sprinkle 8 with fine red sanding sugar
23. chill at least 30 minute
24. cut 5 leaves with a small leaf cutter from the remaining red dough , rolling out again if needed
25. transfer to prepared baking sheet
26. make a crease in center with a skewer
27. chill at least 30 minutes
28. transfer chilled baking sheets to oven and bake for 13-15 minutes
29. let cool completely
30. spread yellow decorating frosting over the uncolored round cookie with a small offset spatula
31. dip in yellow sanding sugar to coat
32. to arrange the cookies on a large platter , work from the outside inches first , place the green cookies evenly spaced around the border
33. then place the large plain red leaves in between the green leaves
34. next add the large red sugared cookies , slightly overlapping the layer of the plain red leaves
35. add in the small red leaves slightly overlapping the layer of large red sugared leaves
36. finally , add the round yellow cookie in the center
37. tools:
38. for large leaves:
39. for small leaves:
40. for the flower center: