These whimsical Christmas Lights Cookies are not only fun to make but also bring a festive spirit to any holiday gathering. Here’s how you can create these delightful treats:
Ingredients:
For the Cookies:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decorating:
Green food coloring
White, yellow, and various colored icing or royal icing
Edible markers or food-safe pens
Candy melts or melted chocolate (for the light bulbs)
Sprinkles or edible glitter (optional)
Directions:
Prepare the Dough:
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Mix well.
Divide the dough into two parts and tint one part with green food coloring. Wrap both portions in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Roll and Cut the Cookies:
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Roll out the green dough to about ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface. Use a Christmas light bulb cookie cutter or freehand cut light bulb shapes.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate the Cookies:
Once cookies are completely cool, outline and fill each cookie with white or yellow royal icing to look like the glass part of a light bulb. Allow this to dry.
Use different colors of icing to create the base of the light bulb, where it would typically screw into a socket.
Use edible markers or food-safe pens to add details like lines or patterns on the light bulbs.
For more dimension, you can use candy melts or melted chocolate to create a cap on the top of the light bulb. Let this set.
Final Touches:
Add sprinkles or edible glitter if you want to give your cookies a bit more sparkle and festive look.
Assembly (Optional):
If you want to make a string of lights, you can connect the cookies with a thin line of white icing to simulate the wire connecting the lights.
Tips:
Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors; it won’t thin out the dough like liquid food coloring might.
Royal icing should be thick enough to hold its shape but spreadable. You might need to adjust with water or more powdered sugar.
Allow each layer of icing to dry completely before adding the next to avoid smudging.
These Christmas Lights Cookies are sure to light up your Christmas with their playful design and delicious taste.
Enjoy crafting and eating these festive treats!
