Fourth of July Fireworks Cookies

Do these cookies look familiar? You might have seen them at the checkout counter recently. They are on the cover of the Martha Stewart Living magazine July issue. I think they are really cute and festive. I made these in advance for a BBQ I'm going to on Monday.


I also made a few simple stars outlined in red and blue with a little sanding sugar on top.


BTW, here is how I use and store my royal icing. I love these piping bottles from CK. I buy mine at a local bakery supply shop but you can also purchase them through Amazon. Also, so the tips don't dry out, I store the bottles upside down in a large cup with a damp paper towel on the bottom when I'm decorating the cookies.


I hope everyone has a safe and happy JULY 4TH!!!


Ingredients:

FOR THE COOKIES
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 teaspoon baking powder
Coarse salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

FOR DECORATING THE COOKIES
Red, White, and Blue Royal Icing (HERE is my royal icing recipe)

Directions:

Make the cookies: Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, then vanilla. Refrigerate dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to a scant 1/2-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out cookies using a 1 3/4-, 2 1/4-, 2 3/4-, or 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, rerolling scraps once. Transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Bake until edges just start to brown, 10 to 12 minutes or until edges become golden. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Decorate the cookies: Pipe an outline of white icing around edge of 1 cookie, leaving a 1/4-inch border, then "flood" with more white icing to cover.

Immediately pipe a red or blue dot in the center of cookie. Then pipe concentric rings of colors around the center dot (using the same color as the dot, or alternating colors).

Immediately drag a toothpick through the colors to create bursts, starting from the center dot and working toward the edge, then alternate dragging inward and outward as you work around the cookie. (Or drag around the cookie in 1 direction or curve the lines for a pinwheel effect.) Let dry. Repeat with remaining cookies and icings.

Source: Slightly adapted fromMartha Stewart