Spider Web Sugar Cookies
- Cookies
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- Icing
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons reduced-fat (2%) milk
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To make the cookies, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended.
Add flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined.
Divide dough in half and shape into 2 disks.
Wrap in parchment or waxed paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Working with one disk of dough at a time on a floured surface, roll out dough 1/4-inch thick and cut out cookies with a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake until cookies are just golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
To make the icing, melt chocolate chips in a microwave or a double boiler and let cool slightly.
Transfer to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup and vanilla until smooth (mixture will be quite thick but pourable).
Transfer sugar icing to a separate piping bag or a resealable plastic bag.
Cut open tip of piping bag about 1/4 inch wide.
Working with 2 cookies at a time, pipe a circle of sugar icing and fill in with more icing, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge of cookie (spread until smooth with an offset spatula if needed).
Cut open tip of melted chocolate piping bag about 1/8 inch wide.
Starting in center of cookie, pipe a spiral moving out toward edge of cookie.
Use a toothpick to drag icing from center out toward edge to create a spider web.
Let sit on the wire racks or baking sheet until icing is set. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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- Cookies
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- Icing
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons reduced-fat (2%) milk
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract