Donkey Sugar Cookie Recipes

EASY SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

DONKEY SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• Mix together some royal icing with black and/or white gel paste until desired shade is reached. Transfer to a small squirt bottle with a wide tip. Leaving a 1/4-inch border, outline the body of the donkey. Draw several zigzags across entire surface of the outlined area. If necessary, use a toothpick to spread evenly. Sprinkle body with sanding sugar. If desired, sprinkle stomach and nose with nonpareils. Let dry.
• Mix together some royal icing with brown gel paste, if using, until desired shade is reached. Use brown or white icing to draw mane and tail. Use brown icing to draw hooves. Let dry completely.

HONEY SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the honey, egg and vanilla until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture until combined. Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a disk; wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, flour the dough and roll out until 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with 3-inch cookie cutters. Arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. (If the dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate until firm.)
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the pans.
• Meanwhile, make the icing: Whisk the meringue powder and confectioners? sugar in a large bowl. Beat in 5 tablespoons water with a mixer on medium speed until soft glossy peaks form. Beat in up to 1 more tablespoon water to thin the consistency if necessary. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cookies.

GINGERBREAD NATIVITY CRECHE

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4-inch thick. Using creche-shaped cookie cutters, cut one center piece and two end pieces. Transfer to baking sheet. Stick two toothpicks in the bottom edge of each cookie.
• Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
• Meanwhile, mix together royal icing with brown gel paste until desired dark brown shade is reached. Transfer to a small squirt bottle with a wide tip. Draw a wood or faux-bois design on creche. Let dry completely before assembling on foam or on a cake.