Delicious and Festive Poinsettia Cookies

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

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the remaining portion of dough.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing the cookies in an airtight container.

Interesting Facts