Star Sugar Cookies Recipes

SUGAR-COOKIE STARS

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl.
• Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, then vanilla. Refrigerate dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out various star shapes using 3-to-4-inch cutters. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 inch apart.
• Bake until cookies are just turning gold around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets set on wire racks for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks. Let cool completely.
• Make the icing: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until icing is glossy-white and holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface for 5 seconds when beater is raised, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe an outline of icing around the edges, then flood each cookie with more icing to cover. Sift edible silver dust over cookies. Let cookies dry completely.

STARR'S SOFT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Beat together white and brown sugars, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and lemon extract to mix well.
• Sift together nutmeg, flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and soda. Add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of dough 2 1/2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet. With the back of the spoon, spread round and round making the outer edge of the cookies a little thicker than the center. Sprinkle generously with the reserved white sugar and place a fat raisin in the center of each cookie.
• Bake about 10 minutes. For softer cookies, bake in hot oven (425 degrees F (220 degrees C)) for about 8 minutes or until no indentation remains when you touch the center of the cookie with your fingertip. Remove cookies and cool on racks.

STAR SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in halves. Wrap; refrigerate dough for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Refrigerate remaining dough until ready to roll. With a 3-inch star-shape cookie cutter, cut dough. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with sugars.
• Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are light brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Makes about 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

STAR SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preparation 1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and irresistibly fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Gently fold in the salt and flour just until combined. 3 Roll out the dough between a couple pieces of parchment paper until it's about 1/2-inch thick. 4 Remove the top piece of parchment and, using a 5-point star cookie cutter cut out cookies and place them on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (If you find the dough too soft to cut with a cookie cutter, transfer the dough, still sandwiched between the parchment paper, to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then try again.) Sprinkle the cookies with coarse sugar. 5 Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges of the cookies just begin to brown. Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks before showering them upon your sweetie.

STAR CONFETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Mix the vanilla and egg with a fork in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed until the butter has picked up the sugars, about 30 seconds. (If using a hand mixer, beat about 2 minutes.) Increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly creamy, stopping halfway to scrape the bowl, about 1 minute (about 3 minutes with a hand mixer).
• Reduce the speed to low, slowly add in the egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture a heaping cup at a time in 2 additions, stopping a few times to scrape the bowl and beaters. (If using a hand mixer, increase the speed as the dough gets thicker to keep the beaters spinning.) Once all the flour is just incorporated, add the confetti stars, increase the speed to medium (higher with a hand mixer) and beat until the dough is very smooth, about 2 minutes (about 5 minutes with a hand mixer).
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and bring it together. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, each about 11 ounces. Shape each piece into a 6-inch square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Take the dough pieces out of the refrigerator and let soften until just pliable but still cool and firm, about 15 minutes.
• Dust a piece of parchment with flour. Working quickly, dust one square of the dough with flour and roll it to about 1/4 inch thick. Lift the dough occasionally by sliding a metal spatula or bench scraper underneath to make sure it isn't sticking to the parchment. Cut out 3 1/2-inch star cookies as close together as possible. Cut out the centers of the stars with a 1 1/2-inch cutter. If the dough becomes too soft to cut out, place it in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm back up. Transfer the large and small stars to separate prepared baking sheets, large on one and small on the other, leaving 1 inch between them all. Gather together the scraps and repeat with the remaining dough. When the remaining dough is too small for the large cutter, just cut out small stars. Sprinkle more confetti stars over the top of the cookies and gently press down so they stick. Freeze the cookies on the baking sheets while you repeat with the second dough piece. Freeze the cookies about 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until the cookies are light golden brown around the edges and slightly firm when gently pressed, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets on a cooling rack, about 30 minutes.

SPARKLING STAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Mix granulated sugar, butter and egg in medium bowl. Stir in flour, almonds, baking soda and salt.
• Divide dough into 3 parts. Roll each part 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered surface. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until edges are light brown; Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Mix powdered sugar and water until smooth and a thin spreading consistency. Spread very thinly on cookies. Sprinkle with edible glitter.

BASIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Reroll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks. To ice cookies, spread with the back of a spoon. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired.
• For the icing, sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in milk, water, or lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, whisk in more sugar; if too thick, add more liquid. Spread over cookies with back of a spoon. Add other decorations, if desired. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in additional sugar. Place on greased baking sheets; flatten with a glass. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mace. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or rub between your fingers. When butter pieces are no larger than pea size, stir in the egg, vanilla and heavy cream. Blend thoroughly. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 5 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges begin to brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.
• To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 tablespoons of cream and salt until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of cooled cookies. Let the frosting dry before storing or serving.

SUGAR STAR & FLAG COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2- to 3-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars as desired., Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with icing and additional sugars if desired.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk for 4 mins until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla. Whisk in the cornflour and plain flour until the mixture comes together into a dough. Put the dough between two pieces of baking parchment, and roll out to a 6mm thickness using a rolling pin. Chill for 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel the top layer of parchment off the dough and stamp out circles using a 6cm round cutter (or the shape of your choice). Re-roll any offcuts and continue stamping out rounds until all the dough is used. Transfer the cookies to a second large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, spacing them 2cm apart (you may need two sheets). Bake for 7-10 mins. Leave to cool on the sheet for 15 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight container for one week.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

CHOCOLATE STAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat overn to 375°.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together Crisco, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, water and vanilla until well mixed.
• Add the flour, baking soda & salt to the mixing bowl and mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Place in preheated oven and bake for 9-11 minutes or until light brown.
• As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, place a chocolate star on the top of each cookie.