holiday cookies 2019 82
- Alternatively, smear thick swirls of frosting
on each cookie with an off set spatula. - Store decorated cookies in refrigerator.
Remove from refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before
serving.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Makes about 22⁄3 cups
1 cup (225 grams) cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter,
softened
1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
3½ cups (420 grams) confectioners’ sugar,
sifted
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the
paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter,
and vanilla at medium speed, 1 to 2 minutes,
until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’
sugar, beating until thick and creamy. Use
immediately.
SPICED SUGAR SANDWICH
COOKIES WITH FIVE-SPICE
CRANBERRY SWISS BUTTERCREAM
Makes 38 sandwich cookies
Recipe by Rebecca Firth
Picture your favorite sugar cookie recipe and then
add your favorite holiday spices. That’s what this
cookie tastes like. It’s great on its own but even
better with a thick smear of Five-Spice Cranberry
Swiss Buttercream. The buttercream is lightly
scented with cranberries and fi ve-spice.
1½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
and softened
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
¾ cup (165 grams) fi rmly packed light brown
sugar
2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
¾ teaspoon (3 grams) vanilla extract
2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground allspice
1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground ginger
½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cardamom
½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cloves
2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose fl our
2 cups (254 grams) bread fl our
1 teaspoon (3 grams) sea salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
Five-Spice Cranberry Swiss Buttercream
(recipe follows)
1 cup (16 grams) freeze-dried cranberries,
fi nely ground (optional)- In the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the
paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at
medium speed until creamy, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Add vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, ginger,
cardamom, and cloves, and beat until well
combined, about 1 minute. - In a large bowl, whisk together fl ours, sea
salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add fl our
mixture to butter mixture, and beat at low
speed just until combined. Divide dough in half,
and shape each half into a disk. Wrap tightly in
plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Don’t
chill longer than 1 hour, or it will be too diffi cult
to roll out. If this happens, let the dough come
close to room temperature before attempting
to roll out. You want it soft enough so it rolls
out without cracking but cool enough that it’s
not too sticky.) - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line
several baking sheets with parchment paper. - Let dough stand until slightly softened, about
10 minutes. Between 2 lightly fl oured sheets of
parchment paper, roll half of dough to ¼-inch
thickness. (Don’t go too thin. Periodically
check to make sure the dough isn’t sticking,
and sprinkle lightly with fl our when it does.)
Using a 1½-inch fl uted round cutter, cut dough,
rerolling scraps as necessary. Place 1 inch
apart on prepared pans. Repeat with remaining
dough. Freeze for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for
30 minutes. - Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on pans for
5 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool
completely on wire racks. Spread Five-Spice
Cranberry Swiss Buttercream onto fl at side
of half of cookies; sprinkle with freeze-dried
cranberries (if using). Place remaining cookies,
fl at side down, on top of buttercream.
FIVE-SPICE CRANBERRY SWISS BUTTERCREAM
Makes about 2 cups1 cup (170 grams) fresh or frozen
cranberries
⅔ cup (133 grams) plus ½ cup (100 grams)
granulated sugar, divided
½ cup (120 grams) water
1½ teaspoons (3 grams) Chinese fi ve-spice
powder, divided
3 large egg whites (90 grams)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, slightly
chilled and cubed- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring
cranberries, ½ cup (100 grams) sugar, ½ cup
(120 grams) water, and 1 teaspoon (2 grams)
fi ve-spice powder to a boil over medium-
high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring
frequently, until mixture is reduced and
thickened, about 20 minutes. Strain mixture
through a fi ne-mesh sieve, reserving 3 to
4 tablespoons (57 to 72 grams) cranberry liquid
and discarding solids. Let cool completely. - Place egg whites, sea salt, and remaining
⅔ cup (133 grams) sugar in the bowl of a stand
mixer; place bowl over a saucepan of simmering
water. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture
is thick and opaque and no longer feels gritty
when rubbed between two fi ngers, 3 to
4 minutes. Return bowl to stand mixer fi tted
with the whisk attachment, and beat at high
speed until stiff peaks form. Switch to the
paddle attachment. With mixer on medium
speed, add butter, a few cubes at a time,
beating until well combined after each addition.
(If mixture curdles, your butter may be too
cold. If mixture is soupy, you may need to
refrigerate it.) Beat until mixture is smooth,
glossy, and voluminous. Add reserved 3 to
4 tablespoons (57 to 72 grams) cranberry liquid
and remaining ½ teaspoon (1 gram) fi ve-spice
powder. Use immediately.
PRO TIP
Be sure to fully beat the sugar and butter.
You want it super light and fl uff y. This will
help the cookies keep sharp edges when
baking. Freeze the cut cookies and bake
from frozen for best results.