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Shamrock Sugar Cookies


Ingredients

sugar cookies

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla

buttercream icing

  • 1 cup crisco shortening
  • 1 cup margarine or butter
  • 2 lbs powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbls milk

Instructions

Sugar Cookie Directions:

  • 1. Into a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
  • 2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat butter and sugar for about 1½ minutes, or until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • 3. Turn the mixer speed to low and carefully add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. Once all the flour has been incorporated, the dough should form a ball around the mixing attachment and feel soft but not sticky.
  • 4. Wrap the dough ball in a piece of plastic wrap press down to create a disc shape. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before rolling.
  • 5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • 6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured flat work surface to about ¼-inch thickness, using additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes, and carefully transfer with a cookie spatula to a nonstick baking sheet, placing the cookies about ¾ inch apart.
  • 8. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven until puffy, about 7-8 minutes. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • 9. Repeat with the gathered scraps and remaining disk until all the dough has been used.

Buttercream Icing Directions:

  • 1. Combine the margarine and Crisco in the bowl of an electric mixer; using a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • 2. Add half of the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating on low speed for an additional 2 minutes, or until the mixture is creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk, and beat until the frosting is creamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add any food coloring at this time, if using, and beat on low speed until light and fluffy.

Shamrock Cookie Decorating Directions: 

  • Tint buttercream icing green using green food coloring or gel.  With a decorating bag fitted with a #4 tip filled with green icing, begin piping onto shamrock shaped sugar cookie.  Outline cookie with green icing.  Fill in remaining cookie using back and forth piping lines, to fill entire cookie.  Once cookie is covered in icing, gently dip cookie in a plate or bowl filled with green sanding sugar.  Sanding sugar will adhere to the tacky buttercream and cover any imperfections in your decorating!
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Notes