Sweeten up your holiday trim with this recipe for Iced Star Cookies from the classic winter cookbook Long Nights and Log Fires. We love thinking of these pretty treats either dangling from the tree or set out on a plate awaiting Santa's arrival.
Iced Star Cookies
yields about 24 cookies
1-¼ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup superfine sugar
Finely grated peel and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup cream cheese
2-¼ cups all-purpose flower
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
A good pinch of salt
cookie cutter
several baking sheets
To decorate
Glacé icing* or writing icing pens, edible silver balls, twine, or ribbons
Cream the butter with the sugar and grated lemon peel. Beat in 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and the cream cheese. Sift in the flour, mixed spice, and salt and mix. When thoroughly combined, remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a ball, and wrap in a plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. The dough can be kept in the fridge, for up to 1 week.
When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured work surface until ¼ inch thick. Dip the cookie cutter in four and cut out shapes. Gather up the trimmings and re-roll, then cut out more shapes. Arrange slightly apart on the baking sheets. If using as decorations, use a toothpick to make a small hole at the top of each shape large enough to thread a ribbon through. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes until just turning golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven, let cool for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cold. Decorate with glacé icing* or use a writing icing pen. When firm thread the ribbons. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
*Glacé icing - Made with confectioners' sugar and water, plus a little coloring if you like, this icing will dry firm but not as hard as royal icing. Sift 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Stir in water or lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, to make a thick icing that can be piped.
Long Nights and Log Fires. Photography by Ryland Peters & Small. Ryland Peters and Small, $27.95
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