Sugar Cookies with Swirled Glaze or Buttercream Frosting

Since Christmas is almost upon us, I am reposting my old trusty recipe for Sugar Cookies with a few updates.  

This recipe makes crispy cookies which are our favorite.  

I like to frost some cookies with buttercream and some with a vanilla glaze.  

I love snowflake cookies.  I bought a new set of 4 different sizes of snowflake cookie cutters last year on clearance after Christmas.  Snowflake cookies are perfect for Frozen themed parties too.  

Christmas trees are fun too.  I use a basket weave tip and pipe buttercream to make this pretty design, then top with a yellow star using a star tip.  You can whip up a bunch of these really quickly.  

To make this simple star, I use a star tip and pull the icing across the cookie giving it a slight twist as I go.  

I love the look of swirled glazed cookies.  

First pipe a border of buttercream to hold the glaze in place.

Then using a spoon delicately drop and spread a base color of glaze on the cookie spreading it to the buttercream border.  Then drizzle on a second color and pull through it with a toothpick to create a unique swirl design.  This is a fun activity to do with older kids.  My students always enjoyed making these.  When these are done, you need to let the glazed cookies set for at least a couple of hours before serving.  

Create a lovely tiered cookie display by placing a cake plate on top of a coordinating platter.

Sugar Cookies

½ cup butter (1 stick)                          ¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup sugar                                         2 cups flour
1 Egg, large                                          1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. milk                                          ¼ tsp. nutmeg (optional)

In electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together.  Beat in egg, then milk.  Add vanilla.  Blend salt and nutmeg into flour.  Mix flour into dough.  Knead on pastry cloth then put in Ziploc bag and refrigerate for about an hour or overnight if you want to bake later.

Roll out dough onto lightly floured surface and press with cookie cutters.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack. 

Make frosting below.  Frost cookies with butter-cream frosting or vanilla glaze.  


Butter-cream Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick real butter not margarine)

1/2 cup shortening

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

In electric mixer, cream butter, shortening and vanilla.  Add sifted powdered sugar and milk. Continue to mix at high speed until icing is blended.  Tint with icing color if desired.

Vanilla Glaze:

2 Tbsp. milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir together in a bowl.  Tint with icing color or food coloring if desired.

 

Linking up at Create with Joy, Lou Lou Girls, Best Mom Advice, Share the Wealth

Yum