Funfetti Cookies
This is one of those recipes that one makes simply to make someone smile (or to bribe their children). It is sweet and indulgent but in a bitesize format so it helps lessen the sugar rush.
Mind you, I speak of these as if they were solely meant for children. They are not. They are moorish and surprisingly not too sweet (for an icing filled cookie). M and I actually stole a few and it was hard to not go back for more.
Cookie Dough, adapted from Olive & Thyme:
180g Plain flour
30g Almond flour (or sub for plain flour)
¼ tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp Salt
170g Unsalted butter (or use salted and skip adding the salt), softened
80g Caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
⅓ cup sprinkles
For the Icing:
115g Unsalted butter, at cool room temp
50g Cream cheese, at cool room temp
150g Icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Double cream
Cookie Dough
In a medium bowl, sift and whisk the plain flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium high speed until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
With the mixer on low speed, add the egg and vanilla. Continue mixing on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the 1/2 dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on the lowest speed until just combined (you want to minimise mixing here to help get a softer cookie). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients. When almost combined, add the sprinkles. Fold into the dough.
The finished dough must be refrigerated for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days) before you can roll it and cut the shapes out. [a tip is to roll the soft dough between two sheets of parchment paper - to about 1/4” thick - before placing it in the fridge. The cookie can then be cut directly from the prepared ‘sheet’ of dough]
When you are ready to bake the cookies, pre-heat the over to 180C/350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Remove the ‘sheet’ of chilled dough. Unwrap the dough and use a 2” round cookie cutter to cut the cookies from the chilled dough. Gently l(but quickly - so the dough doesn’t get too warm and start losing its shape) cut pieces of dough onto your baking sheet, keeping about 2” between them. You can repeat the process by re-rolling the scraps (you will likely need to put it back in the fridge to firm up again though)
Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes. The edges will turn a very light golden brown. The centers will be light and may not be fully set.
Remove the cookies from the oven. Cool on the hot baking sheet on a cooling rack for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until completely cool. Better not to ice the cookies while they are still warm to avoid a mess.
Cream Cheese Frosting
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until pale (about 6 min) before adding the cream cheese. Beat to combine well. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Add sifted powdered sugar in two addition, beating each time until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
Add the vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and the cream. Beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes.
Using a small offset icing knife and spoon, small cookie dough scoop or piping bag with piping tip of choice, apply the desired amount of frosting to the bottom of one cookie. Apply the bottom of another cookie to the frosted side of the first cookie. Gently press together. Enjoy
