Sugar Star Cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Christmas, North American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 12

Chill Time: 30

Total Time: 1 12

Servings: cookies

Calories: 181kcal

Author: Lord Byron's Kitchen

Flavoured with orange zest and prepared with ground walnuts and cloves, these Sugar Star Cookies are painted with your favourite jam and baked until lightly browned. Topped with coarse sugar, these beautiful holiday treats will set your cookie gift box above all others!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups butter, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup ground walnuts
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup jam
1/4 cup coarse sanding sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

Beat together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and orange zest. Incorporate into the butter and sugar mixture.
Add the flour, cornstarch, ground walnuts, and ground cloves. On low speed, beat them into the butter and sugar until well incorporated.
Divide the dough into two portions. Roll one portion of the dough to 1/3 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter, or your favourite cookie cutter shape to cut out the cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie.
Use a food-safe paintbrush to brush a thin layer of the jam over the cookie. This may take some time, but be patient and have fun with it. Be aware of how much jam you’re using. You want a thin layer only. If you apply too much, it will run down the sides of the cookie when baking.
When the cookies are all spread with jam, set the baking sheet in your fridge for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven sprinkle the top of each cookie with a little coarse sanding sugar and granulated sugar.
Allow the cookies to sit for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Nutrition