Can I use other food coloring for these cookies?

Gel food coloring works best since it doesn’t add too much liquid to the dough, which can affect texture. Liquid food coloring is possible, but use sparingly to avoid a runny dough.

Do I have to use cornstarch in this recipe?

Cornstarch helps keep the cookie texture soft and tender by reducing gluten formation. You can substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch if needed, but I wouldn’t skip it entirely.

How do I prevent the colors from blending too much?

Pipe thicker stripes of dough when layering your colors and avoid making too many layers. Roll the dough firmly, and chill briefly if it becomes too soft before piping for better separation.

Can these cookies be made ahead for holiday parties?

Absolutely! The dough can be piped and shaped ahead, then refrigerated for a few hours or overnight before baking. The baked cookies also store well for several days, making them an ideal make-ahead treat.

Colorful Wreath Cookies: Festive Holiday Treats

Description

Delightful wreath-shaped butter cookies featuring a festive swirl of colored dough and topped with sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these buttery treats have a tender texture and are easy to pipe onto baking sheets for charming presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

100 g unsalted butter at room temperature
50 g icing sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
½ tsp salt
100 g all-purpose flour
60 g cornstarch

Decorations

Red gel food colouring
Sprinkles

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Instructions

Whisk Butter and Sugar: Whisk together the unsalted butter and icing sugar until the mixture becomes creamy and smooth.
Add Egg White: Incorporate the egg white by whisking again until fully combined.
Add Vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract or essence thoroughly.
Add Dry Ingredients: Add salt, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch, then fold the mixture using a spatula until a smooth dough is formed.
Divide and Color Dough: Weigh the dough and split it into two equal portions. Gradually add red or green gel food coloring to one half until the desired intensity is reached.
Pipe Dough in Layers: Place each colored dough portion into separate piping bags. Pipe alternating layers of each color onto a piece of plastic wrap, making about two layers of each color for a vibrant swirl effect.
Shape Dough Cylinder: Roll the layered dough using the plastic wrap into a tight cylinder. Trim any excess plastic wrap with scissors. Insert this cylinder into a piping bag fitted with a large (1 cm or 1/3-inch diameter) star nozzle.
Pipe Wreath Shapes: Pipe the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet forming circular wreath shapes. Smooth any imperfect joins by gently tapping the dough with a finger.
Add Sprinkles: Decorate the piped wreath cookies by sprinkling sprinkles over them evenly.
Bake Cookies: Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 12 minutes or until the cookies feel dry but are not browned.

Notes

Use grams for the most accurate measuring as this recipe is sensitive to small changes.
Ensure the butter is at room temperature for easier whisking and creamy texture.
Avoid small piping nozzles; use one about 1 cm in diameter to maintain cookie shape and swirl detail.
If the pieced wreath circle end looks uneven, gently smooth it with your finger before baking.
Gel food coloring gives vibrant colors without altering dough consistency.
Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 90 kcal
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 45 mg
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fiber: 0.2 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg