Best Sparkle Cookies Recipes

CHEWY GINGERSNAPS SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a hand mixer. Add other wet ingredients and mix.
• Add dry ingredients and mix. Dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Add a little more flour if necessary. The dough should NOT be dry.
• Shape dough into one inch balls and roll in white sugar.
• Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove immediately from cookie sheet onto cooling rack. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over, but not touching, simmering water.
• Remove from the heat.
• Cut the butter into a few pieces and mix into the chocolate until melted.
• Beat the eggs with an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar until ribbons form (about 4 minutes on medium-high).
• Fold in the chocolate-butter mixture.
• Gently add the ground almonds.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a cookie scoop to form the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Roll the balls in granulated sugar, place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and immediately place in the oven.
• Bake until the center of the cookies is no longer wet, 9 to 12 minutes.
• When slightly cool, lightly dust the cookies with powdered sugar.

DIAMOND CARDAMOM SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Dough:
• Beat granulated sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and lemon zest, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Sift flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Pulse cardamom and peppercorns in a spice mill or grind in a mortar and pestle until the consistency of coarsely ground coffee-be careful not to grind too finely. (Alternatively, you can wrap in a kitchen towel and pound with a rolling pin.) Whisk cardamom, pepper, and salt into dry ingredients. With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add to stand mixer bowl in 2-3 additions, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl between additions; beat just until combined, about 1 minute (be careful not to overmix).
• Divide dough in half and flatten each into a 4½"-wide square, about 1" thick. Wrap each square tightly in plastic and chill at least 1 hour before using.
• Do ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month. If freezing, thaw in fridge overnight before using.
• Glaze and assembly:
• Let dough sit at room temperature 20 minutes. Place 1 square of dough on a large sheet of parchment paper; unwrap and arrange plastic wrap over dough to prevent sticking (and eliminate the need for flouring). Roll out to ¼" thick and chill in the freezer until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove and reserve plastic wrap. Punch out cookies with cutter and transfer right away, while dough is still cold, to a parchment-lined flexible cutting board or parchment-lined baking sheet, arranging in a single layer and placing close together for efficiency. Stack, layering with sheets of parchment in between, if needed. Freeze all pieces until ready to bake, at least 15 minutes. Well-wrapped cookies can be frozen up to 1 week. (If you do not have a diamond cookie cutter, you can roll the dough out to a ¼"-thick square and cut dough into 2"-wide strips. Cut strips on a 60° angle 2" apart to create diamonds.)
• Meanwhile, pat together scraps and roll out between leftover parchment paper and reserved plastic wrap. Repeat entire process with remaining square of dough.
• Place racks in middle and lower third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Arrange 9 frozen cookies each on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1" apart. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until edges are barely golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. They should be crisp but chewy. Bake remaining cookies. (If you'd like sharp defined edges and are serving cookies the same day, trim them as soon as they come out of the oven. Don't trim if you aren't eating them directly. They will harden faster.)
• While the cookies are cooling, whisk powdered sugar and corn syrup in a medium bowl, adding 1 Tbsp. lemon juice at a time, until combined. Glaze should be thick but pourable (you can thin with a bit of water if needed). Transfer 1 Tbsp. glaze to a ramekin or small bowl. Barely dip the tip of a toothpick into food coloring and mix into glaze in ramekin. Dip a fresh toothpick into ramekin with teal glaze and add to glaze in bowl; mix well to tint. Repeat process, gradually adding color until you have a soft shade of celadon. This technique is helpful when you want to create pale, subtle colors and will prevent you from oversaturating the entire quantity of glaze.
• Combine almonds and a few drops of edible gold paint (if using) in a small bowl and toss until almonds are well coated. Spread out on a plate and let dry, about 15 minutes.
• Using a small offset spatula or spoon, add a dollop of glaze on to one side of a cookie. Spread a thin layer of glaze over half of the cookie, making a straight edge along the center for a graphic look. Wipe off any excess glaze and clean up edges with your finger (keep a damp kitchen towel nearby to keep fingers clean). Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle gold almonds and chunky sugars over glaze (you want to do this while it is still wet). Repeat with remaining cookies, changing the direction or even the geometric shape of the glazed area if desired. Let cookies sit until glaze is set before serving, about 3 hours. Drying time may vary depending on how thick your glaze is and the humidity.
• Do ahead: Glaze can be made 3 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill. Almonds can be coated 5 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature. Cookies can be decorated 4 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

THOMAS HAAS SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler, over (but not in contact with) simmering water. Remove from heat. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into the heated chocolate until melted. Beat eggs, gradually adding the sugar and honey until light and the mixture falls into thick, smooth ribbons (about 10 min). Fold into the chocolate mixture. Add the cocoa powder and salt to the ground almonds and mix; gently add to the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use an ice cream scoop to form the dough into 1 inch balls. Working quickly, roll the balls into granulated sugar. Place on the Baking sheet 2″ apart. Bake at 325 for 12 minutes, until the centres are moist, but not wet. Cool slightly. Dust lightly with powdered icing sugar. Makes about 36 cookies. Note: You may find this recipe has cocoa and honey added that were not included in the original recipe. Thomas Haas tweaked the recipe between the LA Times version and Vancouver Sun printed version.

SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Stir cookie mix, butter and egg in medium bowl until dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in colored sugars. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. Store in airtight container.

EGGNOG SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder and nutmeg; set aside. Cream butter and granulated sugar at medium speed of electric mixer.
• Add egg yolks; beat until fluffy. Blend in eggnog. Add flour mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined.
• Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Combine decorating sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll dough into 3/4 inch balls; roll in colored sugar mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 400° F for 8 to 10 minute or until set.

CHOCOLATE SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in double boiler, over but not in contact with, simmering water. Cut butter in small pieces and mix with chocolate until melted. Beat eggs w mixer, gradually adding the sugar and honey until light and the mixture falls in thick smooth ribbons from the beaters, abt 10 minutes. Fold into chocolate-butter mix. Add the cocoa powder and salt to the ground almonds and mix. Gently add to chocolate mix. Cover and refrigerate overnite. Line baking sheet w parchment paper. Use small ice cream scoop to form the dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Place on baking sheet abt 2" apart. Bake for abt 12 min at 325 degrees, until centers are moist but not wet. Cool slightly. Dust w icing sugar

RASPBERRY SPARKLE DROP COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the shortening, butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well., Shape into 1-in. balls; dip tops in gelatin. Place 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Stir cookie mix, butter and egg in medium bowl until dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in colored sugars. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. Store in airtight container.

PUDDING SPARKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, add pudding mix, bisquick, vegetable oil, and egg. Mix well.
• Chill dough in fridge for 5-10 minutes.
• Spoon out dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball in sparkling sugar. Place on cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes.