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Twisted Christmas Cookies

Twisted Christmas Cookies: A Festive Treat Worth Sharing

These Twisted Christmas Cookies are a festive treat worth sharing, combining butter, almond, and citrus for a delightful crowd-pleaser.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cookies
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 1 cup Butter, softened not melted
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract use pure for best results
  • 1 tsp Almond Extract can be swapped with hazelnut
  • 1 tbsp Orange Zest optional
  • 3 cups Plain Flour all-purpose or gluten-free blend
For the Royal Icing
  • 2 tbsp Meringue Powder substitute egg whites if preferred
  • 3 tbsp Water
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 4 cups Powdered Sugar
  • as needed Gel Food Coloring red, green, gold, etc.
For Decoration
  • as needed Sprinkles/Edible Glitter/Candy Canes

Equipment

  • Electric mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • Rolling Pin
  • Cookie Cutters
  • piping bags

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream softened butter and white sugar together until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and optional orange zest; mix until smooth.
  4. Gradually mix in plain flour until a soft dough forms; add more flour if sticky.
  5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness and cut shapes.
  6. Chill cut cookies in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to prevent spreading.
  7. Bake chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
  8. Prepare royal icing by whisking meringue powder, lemon juice, and water, then add powdered sugar until glossy.
  9. Color the royal icing with gel food coloring and decorate the cooled cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 70mgPotassium: 30mgSugar: 5gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mg

Notes

Ensure butter is softened but not melted for the best texture. Don't skip the chilling step to prevent spreading.

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