These Poinsettia Cookies are not only delicious but also perfect for celebrating the holiday season. Made with a buttery and tender cookie dough, these cookies are topped with vibrant red icing and adorned with delicate white icing petals to mimic the lovely Poinsettia flowers. They are a perfect treat for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or as a special gift for friends and family. Follow this simple recipe to create these festive and impressive Poinsettia Cookies that will surely wow everyone.
Ingredients
- For the cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the red icing:
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- Red food coloring
- For the white icing:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into two equal portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out about 24 cookies. Place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about an inch apart.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the remaining portion of dough.
- To make the red icing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth and well combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix until the desired shade of red is achieved. If necessary, add more milk or sugar to adjust the consistency of the icing.
- To assemble the Poinsettia Cookies, place a generous dollop of red icing onto the center of each cookie. Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the icing towards the edges of the cookie, leaving a small border.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to make the white icing. Fill a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip with the white icing. Pipe 5 small dots around the edge of the red icing on each cookie to resemble the petals of a Poinsettia flower.
- Allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing the cookies in an airtight container.
