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Christmas Lights Cookies

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These festive Christmas Lights Cookies are a fun and delicious way to celebrate the holiday season! Soft sugar cookies are decorated with colorful icing and candy ‘lights’ for a treat that’s both beautiful and tasty.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Royal icing (recipe follows)
  • Mini M&Ms or other small, colorful candies

Royal Icing:

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • ½ cup warm water, plus more as needed
  • Gel food coloring

Instructions

  1. Make the Cookies: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  3. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
  6. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Make the Royal Icing: In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Gradually add the warm water, mixing until smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the icing reaches your desired consistency.
  8. Divide the icing into separate bowls and tint with gel food coloring as desired.
  9. Decorate the Cookies: Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to outline and flood the cookies with icing.
  10. While the icing is still wet, attach the mini M&Ms or other candies to create a string of Christmas lights.
  11. Let the icing set completely before serving.

Notes

For best results, let the royal icing dry completely overnight. You can also use store-bought sugar cookie dough and royal icing to save time.

Find it online: https://grilldrip.com/christmas-lights-cookies/