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Santa Cookies

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Get in the Christmas spirit with these fun and simple Santa Cookies!

Get in the Christmas spirit with these fun and simple Santa Cookies!

I’m about to say something that will shock and dismay you. So look away if you are an avid lover of all things Christmas. I’m a scrooge. There, I said it. My name is Meaghan and I am a scrooge. That feels so freeing to admit! There’s a delicate balance in the blogging world of sharing enough Christmas content vs. trying not to make it look like Christmas exploded in your kitchen…in October. And then there’s me. The girl who doesn’t even like Christmas.

It’s a long story, me and Christmas, but I have to admit that even I’m looking forward to it this year. I know. I dunno what’s happening to me. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m going home to see my family or my newest nephew will be a month old or I’ll finally get to meet my 2nd nephew for the first time. Whatever the reason, my heart is warming up to the idea of Christmas.

Get in the Christmas spirit with these fun and simple Santa Cookies!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been annoyed by the encroachment of Christmas nonsense on my Halloween festivities since mid-October and I don’t think I’ll ever properly be a fan of Christmas movies or music {except my three must watch favorites} but the fact that I’m the one pushing to break out the Christmas decorations this weekend says a lot. Especially since for the past 10 years or so I’ve been a Christmas Eve tree trimming down by December 26th kinda girl.

The older I get the more my friends insist on having kids and with that my love of Santa is renewed. I was one of those kids who believed in Santa until about 6th grade. And if my mom hadn’t slipped up about a present that came from Santa there’s no telling how long that might have gone on. I tend to lean more towards thinking about the jolly grandfather-esque figure who watches over you throughout the year than the guy who breaks into your house in the middle of the night. In any case Santa and his reindeer are going to need some delicious cookies to keep them going on December 24th and these are so simple and so cute. You’ll have them ready in no time!

Get in the Christmas spirit with these fun and simple Santa Cookies!

Meaghan

Get in the Christmas spirit with these fun and simple Santa Cookies!

Get in the Christmas spirit with these fun and simple Santa Cookies!

Santa Cookies

Yield: 18 cookies
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter,, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the Royal Icing

  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs water
  • 4 1/2 Tbs meringue powder
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbs vanilla
  • red, black, yellow gel food color

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer cream butter until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and mix well.
  2. Add in flour and salt and mix until dough forms a ball.
  3. Roll out dough between two pieces of wax paper to a 1/4" thickness and cut with a 2" circle cutter.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling wrack to cool completely.
  5. While cookies are cooling beat together water and meringue powder until foamy, about 2-4 minutes.
  6. Add in all the powdered sugar at once, cover the mixer with a towel, and mix on a low speed until powdered sugar is incorporated. Then switch to a medium high speed and beat until glossy and stiff peaks form.
  7. Add in vanilla and beat for another 2-3 minutes.
  8. Color about 2 cups of icing red, 1 cup black, and 1/2 cup yellow. You will have icing leftover.*
  9. Add water 1/2 tsp at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until a line drawn through the icing disappears in 15 seconds.

To Decorate:

  1. Frost the entire cookie with red, smoothing icing with a toothpick if necessary.
  2. While icing is still wet add a black rectangle across the center of the circle, filling it in to create the belt.
  3. Add a yellow rectangle to the middle of the belt, but don't fill it in, to create the buckle.

Notes

* Leftover royal icing can be turned into homemade sprinkles by making small dots or lines on a piece of wax paper and allowing to dry overnight. It can also be stored in an airtight container, covered with wax paper, for up to 2 weeks.

rosa

Monday 30th of October 2017

what merinque powder do you use and how do you add different colors? Do you take out some of the royal icing in bowls and mix in the colors and add water to thin it out ? Also what food colorings do you use?

Meaghan

Friday 3rd of November 2017

I use Wilton's meringue powder and gel food color that I get from Michael's. When I want to make different colors I separate them into bowls, add enough of my gel food color until I reach the right shade (If I make it too dark I add a little more plain white icing), and then thin it with water to the right consistency for piping and decorating. Store leftovers in an airtight container or, my favorite, make into sprinkles!

~Meaghan

Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts

Tuesday 28th of February 2017

These are TOO CUTE!!!

Pinning this so I can remember them for next Christmas!!! My kids will love them!

Meaghan

Sunday 5th of March 2017

Thank you, Claire! They are incredibly easy and very fun :)

~Meaghan