Reindeer Sugar Cookies

Yummy and super adorable sugar cookies decorated for the holidays 

Happy Holidays!

Here is another cute and irresistible recipe for you. Nothing too fancy, but the traditional flaky and buttery sugar cookie dressed up for the holiday with some chocolate and red M&Ms.  These reindeers make the perfect addition to your Christmas dessert tray or the cutest edible stocking stuffer. 

It's so easy to get into the holiday spirit when decorating (and eating!) these cookies. Have fun and use this or your favorite cookie dough recipe. To decorate, I use a little melted dark chocolate in a ziplock bag (or piping bag) and drew on the cookies. One red chocolate M&M's for the nose kept in place by a drop of melted chocolate. When the chocolate hardens the candy will stick. 

Let your artistic side take over and decorate following my drawing or as you wish. One can really get creative with melted chocolate and candies ;)

The best sugar cookie recipe.

Here is one trick for you. Most recipes say to refrigerate the dough before rolling it out. But why?!? It's so much harder to roll once it's cold. So here is what I did. I rolled the dough as soon as it was ready and still soft, on a piece of parchment paper. I placed it on a baking sheet and refrigerated it for 20 minutes (you can leave it there for longer too... until you're ready to bake). Once you cut the cookies they will turn out perfectly cut. And make sure to use the scraps, roll them up and make more cookies.

Happy Holidays!

 

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: about 24 cookies (2.5 inch - 6 cm in diameter)

1. • 1/2 cup (100 gr) sugar
   • 6 oz. (170 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
   • 3 large egg yolks
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1/4 teaspoon  salt
   • 2 cups (250 gr)  all-purpose flour
   • 1/4 cup dark chocolate
   • about 24 red chocolate M&Ms or similar candy

PREPARATION:

TIME: about 45 minutes

Soften the butter by removing it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before starting.

In a large bowl, add the butter cut in small pieces and the sugar. Cream with a hand mixer or stand up mixer with until soft and fluffy. 

Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and mix.

Add salt and flour and mix until the dough comes together.

Knead with your hands if needed until smooth. Make into a ball.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured counter, parchment paper or silicone baking mat if you have it, to about 1/6 inch thick (about 4 mm). Place on a baking sheet, and refrigerate the rolled out dough for about 20 minuets (or freeze for 10 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 350° F (175°C).
Line one or more baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter (mine are 2.5 inch in diameter).

Bake for about 10 minutes (depending on how thick you actually made your cookies) until the bottom edges are lightly golden. Don't cook too much or your cookies will be too crunchy.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag or any other ziplock bag. Cut a tiny corner and decorate with eyes and antlers. 

Add one dot of chocolate for the nose and top with the red candy. Let the chocolate set and harden. And enjoy!