Santa Suit Sugar Cookies (Print Version)
Ingredients:
01 -
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature.
02 -
1 cup granulated sugar.
03 -
1 large egg.
04 -
1 tsp vanilla extract.
05 -
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional).
06 -
3 cups all-purpose flour.
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1/2 tsp baking powder.
08 -
1/4 tsp salt.
09 -
3 cups powdered sugar (for Royal Icing).
10 -
2-3 tbsp meringue powder.
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4-5 tbsp water (adjust as needed).
12 -
Red gel food coloring.
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Red sanding sugar.
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White sanding sugar.
15 -
Pink & black nonpareils (for cheeks & eyes).
16 -
Small red candies or mini M&Ms (Santa's nose).
17 -
Piping bags with small round tips.
Instructions:
01 -
Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
02 -
Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using).
03 -
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until fully combined.
04 -
Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
05 -
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 -
Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes (Santa face or round cutters) and place on prepared baking sheets.
07 -
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden. Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack.
08 -
To prepare the royal icing, mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth. Adjust the consistency as needed. Divide the icing and tint one portion red. Fill piping bags with the different colors.
09 -
Use red icing to outline and fill the top of each cookie (for Santa's hat) and sprinkle with red sanding sugar.
10 -
Use white icing to create the beard and trim of the hat, then sprinkle with white sanding sugar.
11 -
Leave a space for the face and add pink and black nonpareils for the cheeks and eyes. Place a small red candy or mini M&M as Santa's nose. Optionally, add a smile with white icing.
12 -
Allow all icing to dry completely before serving or packaging.
Notes:
01 -
These Santa suit sugar cookies are a festive and fun treat to make with friends and family during the holiday season.
02 -
The cookies combine a buttery sugar cookie base with colorful royal icing decorations.