Description
These Striped Sugar Cookies are a delightful twist on the classic sugar cookie, featuring vibrant layers of colored dough stacked and sliced to reveal beautiful stripes. Perfect for holidays or any festive occasion, these cookies combine a tender, buttery texture with eye-catching colors that will impress every cookie lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk (as needed for consistency)
For Coloring
- Food coloring (2–3 colors of choice)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure they are evenly combined and free of lumps.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture, beating until fully combined to add moisture and flavor.
- Combine Dry & Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels too stiff, add milk one teaspoon at a time to reach the right consistency for rolling.
- Divide and Color Dough: Separate the dough evenly into 2 or 3 portions depending on how many colors you want to use. Tint each portion by kneading in your choice of food coloring until the color is evenly distributed.
- Chill Dough: Flatten each colored dough into rectangles, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes to make handling easier and prevent spreading during baking.
- Roll and Stack: On a lightly floured surface, roll each colored dough into rectangles about 1/4 inch thick. Stack the rectangles on top of each other, gently pressing them together, then trim the edges to create neat lines.
- Slice Strips: Cut the stacked dough into thin strips approximately 1/4 inch thick, revealing the striped pattern in the layers.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the cookie strips spaced about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the tray with dough strips for 10 to 15 minutes to help prevent spreading while baking.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are just set and have a light golden color.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors without altering the dough’s consistency.
- For a fun variation, roll strips together for a spiral effect or use cookie cutters to create different shapes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.
