Christmas Stars (cookies)
These are the cookies my family made every year at holiday time when I was growing up. Simple recipe, fun with cookie cutters and decorations (frosting, colored sugars, etc.)!
These are the cookies my family made every year at holiday time when I was growing up. Simple recipe, fun with cookie cutters and decorations (frosting, colored sugars, etc.)!
- Carbohydrate 7.38735742020345 g
- Cholesterol 85.8877777777778 mg
- Fat 11.7116013145884 g
- Fiber 0.256283218188152 g
- Protein 2.83517170264028 g
- Saturated Fat 6.92893566596949 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (39g)
- Sodium 1190.50262016592 mg
- Sugar 7.1310742020153 g
- Trans Fat 0.979150460903761 g
- Calories 146 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix ingredients in order listed.
- Blend thoroughly.
- Chill dough at least 1 hour.
- Roll out about a quarter of the dough at a time, as evenly as possible (pastry strips are helpful).
- Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Cook 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.
- Serve plain or with decoration of your choice.
Substituting salted butter for unsalted in this dough alters the salt profile significantly, given the inclusion of an additional teaspoon of salt in the formula. Mixing all components in the exact listed sequence prevents uneven fat distribution, which ruins cookie texture during baking. Chilling the dough for a minimum of one hour firms the butter sufficiently to prevent spreading on the ungreased sheet. Rolling only a quarter of the dough at a time maintains the proper temperature while keeping the remaining portions firm in the refrigerator. Using pastry strips ensures uniform thickness across every cutout, preventing burnt edges on thinner sections.
Managing Leftovers and Texture Changes
Baked cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature develop a softer crumb by the second day as moisture redistributes from the butter and eggs. Freezing baked stars without frosting preserves their structural integrity for up to one month. Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature on a wire rack to prevent condensation from dissolving any decorative sugars.
- Cookies spreading too much usually indicates the butter was too warm during mixing or the dough missed its mandatory rest.
- Rolling dough thinner than one-quarter inch reduces the baking time below eight minutes, risking scorched edges.
- Adding decorative icing too soon on warm cookies causes the frosting to melt and run off the edges.
