Decorated Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- For the star cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Almond flour
- ½ cup Quince jam (jelly)
- To decorate
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp hot water
- caster sugar
- 3 Tbsps Apricot Jam (jelly)
- red, sparking Sugar crystal
- 2 cups powdered sugar (see note)
- water
- For the glove biscuits
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
If you can't obtain royal icing sugar use the following: 450 g/ 4 1/2 cups icing (confectioners') sugar 5 tbsp meringue powder 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 3 tbsp water Mix together all the ingredients and beat well. Add more water until smooth and thick. Continue to beat until stiff.
Preparation steps
For the star cookies: beat the butter in a mixing bowl until soft. Add the sugar, flour, and ground almonds and mix with your hands to form a dough.
Heat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4" thick. Cut into star shapes using a 2 1/2 "star-shaped cookie cutter and place half the stars on a baking tray.
Using a 1" star-shaped cutter, cut out the middle of each of the remaining biscuit shapes. Place these onto a baking tray.
For the glove biscuits: heat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/2". Using a glove-shaped card template or cookie cutter, cut cookies out of the dough and place on the baking tray.