A simple sugar cookie rolled in colored or white sanding sugar with a pretty crackled top. These have a bit of crispness with a chewy center, but you can under-bake them for softer cookies with less crackle. Roll in sanding sugars for festivity and sparkle.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups butter, at room temperature (if you use unsalted butter, add 3/4 teaspoon salt)
1-3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks (see note*)
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
colored or white sanding sugars (see note **), or additional granulated sugar
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Blend flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Mixture may be somewhat dry…that is ok. Form balls of dough from 2 tablespoons of dough, then roll the top and sides of the ball in the sanding sugar, leaving the bottom bare. If you find the dough is too dry to pick up the sugar easily, warm in your hand for a few seconds. Place bottom down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes or until just starting to crack (keep a close eye on them). For softer cookies with less crackle, bake from 9 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 4 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- * Freeze your egg whites in ice cube trays to use for meringues or other recipes. Egg whites freeze very well and it’s very convenient to freeze them in cubes and just pop out the number you need for your recipe. Place the number you need in a bowl and thaw in the fridge the day before.
- ** Sanding sugars are made for decoration and come in a variety of colors. Any colors can be used for your holiday of choice. Sanding sugar also comes in plain white: it has larger crystals than regular granulated sugar and gives a great sparkle (pictured). You can find common colors in the baking aisle at the grocery store, a larger palette of colors at your local store that carries baking supplies, and a stunning array of colors from sellers on Etsy who hand-make special colors.