Chocolate Birthday Cookies
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 2 mins
Servings:
2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened
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1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
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2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1 recipe Meringue-Powder Icing (Recipe follows.)
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Assorted sanding sugars and nonpareils
Meringue-Powder Icing
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1/4 cup cold water
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3 tablespoons meringue powder
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2 cups confectioners' sugar
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Assorted food colorings
Directions
1.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners¿ sugar at medium speed until creamy. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.
2.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, beating to combine. Shape into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
4.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2-1/2- to 3-inch assorted cookie cutters, cut out as many cookies as possible, rerolling scraps only twice. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets.
5.
Bake for 12 minutes per batch. Cool on pans for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
6.
Using small pastry brushes, paint cookies with Meringue-Powder Icing and decorate as desired with assorted sanding sugars and nonpareils.
Meringue-Powder Icing
In a medium bowl, beat water and meringue powder with a wire whisk until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar, whisking until smooth. Add food colorings, if desired.
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