Sweet Jewel Cookies

[quicklook-recipe prep_time=”40 min” cook_time=”12 min” serves=”” details=”” ]

[ingredients-list title=”Ingredients” serving_size=””]
[ingredients-left]

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

[/ingredients-left]
[ingredients-right]

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2-3 drops red food coloring
• Silver balls, to decorate

[/ingredients-right]
[/ingredients-list]

[step-list-wrapper title=”How to make it” time=”About 50 minutes”]
[step-item number=”1″ image_url=”” title=”” ]Sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until just blended. Mix in the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough.[/step-item]

[step-item number=”2″ image_url=”” title=”” ] Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two cookie sheets. [/step-item]

[step-item number=”3″ image_url=”” title=”” ]Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use 1 1/2-inch heart- and star-shaped cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.[/step-item]

[step-item number=”4″ image_url=”” title=”” ] Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until pale gold, rotating the sheets halfway through for even baking. Cool on the sheets until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer to racks to finish cooling. [/step-item]

[step-item number=”5″ image_url=”” title=”” ] Pink buttercream frosting: With mixer at high speed, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl until creamy. Mix in the food coloring to make an even pale pink frosting. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch star tip. Fill the pastry bag, twist the opening tighlty closed, and squeeze out small stars to form a border around each cookie. Decorate with silver balls. Yield: 20-24 cookies.[/step-item][/step-list-wrapper]

Originally Published in Reader's Digest