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Flower Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 720 reviews

Delight in these charming Flower Cookies, featuring soft, buttery dough enhanced with almond and vanilla extracts. Two-tone pink and white petals come together to form cute floral shapes with detailed petal lines and contrasting centers. These simple yet elegant cookies bake to a tender, lightly set finish, perfect for sharing or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (113g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp almond extract (8g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (5g)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (260g)
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch (16g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)

Additional

  • Deep Pink gel food coloring
  • Non-stick spray (for flattening tool)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside to ready your work area for baking.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment to beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in 1 large room temperature egg, 1 1/2 tsp almond extract, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until well combined. Scrape the bowl’s sides and bottom with a rubber spatula as needed to mix evenly.
  4. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and 1 tsp fine salt to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until dry ingredients are incorporated, then scrape sides and bottom to ensure even mixing.
  5. Divide Dough: Use a rubber spatula to split the dough evenly into two portions. Scoop half of the uncolored dough using a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, roll each into balls with your hands, and place them spaced on one prepared baking sheet.
  6. Color Remaining Dough: Add a squirt of deep pink gel food coloring to the other half of the dough and fold in with a rubber spatula until evenly colored. Avoid overmixing by mixing by hand if preferred.
  7. Shape Pink Dough Balls: Scoop 1/2 tsp portions of the pink dough, roll into balls by hand, and place on the second prepared baking sheet.
  8. Form Flower Shapes: Arrange 5 dough balls of the same color in a circle with a small opening in the center to create 12 white and 12 pink flower cookies. Leave space between cookies as they hardly spread in baking. Reserve remaining dough balls for flower centers.
  9. Flatten Petals: Spray the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass or ramekin lightly with non-stick spray, press gently onto each flower to slightly flatten the dough balls, enabling the petals to stick after baking without fully flattening.
  10. Add Petal Details: Using a toothpick or scribe, draw two thin lines on each petal from the center outward about halfway up to create petal texture and dimension.
  11. Add Flower Centers: Take the reserved dough balls and press a contrasting color dough ball into the center of each flower for the center. Adjust dough sizes to ensure you have enough centers for all flowers.
  12. Chill Cookies: Chill the flower-shaped dough on baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes, helping the dough keep its shape during baking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  13. Bake Cookies: Bake the chilled cookies one tray at a time for 11-12 minutes until the edges are set but not browned. Cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing.

Notes

  • Chilling the cookies before baking is essential to maintain their flower shape and prevent spreading.
  • Use a flat-bottomed glass sprayed with non-stick spray or covered with parchment paper to avoid sticking when flattening dough petals.
  • Draw petal lines gently to add charming detail without tearing the dough.
  • Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days for best freshness.
  • For uniform cookies, use a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to portion dough balls consistently.

Keywords: flower cookies, almond extract cookies, soft butter cookies, pink and white cookies, floral cookies, holiday cookies, homemade cookies

Find it online: https://cookedbycleo.com/flower-cookies-recipe/