Rainbow Sparkling Sugar Butter Cookies

Love baked goods where sparkling sugar is a star? Enjoy a butter cookie that melts in your mouth? Like having a slice and bake cookie that you can freeze and enjoy anytime? This recipe for sugar butter cookies is for you!! Come see just how easy it is to make these cookies to enjoy year round for any holiday or celebration.

Lately I’ve really enjoyed making slice and bake cookies like these butter cookies.  Being able to freeze dough in a log and slightly thaw and cut when I feel like some cookies has been handy. While it doesn’t give me that instant satisfaction of eating them right away, sometimes I just don’t have the time to dedicate to mixing the dough and baking at the same time. This is a great alternative! It is also a great way to mix extra dough or simply bake only what you want at a time. These rainbow sparkling sugar butter cookies are a great example and can be made year round with different colored sugars for different holidays. Whenever you serve them, they will certainly sparkle.

Because it is spring time, I went with rainbow sparkling sugars for these butter cookies. Aren’t they fun? They would look so good served as tea party cookies or any kids birthday party!

Sparkling Sugar Cookie Ingredients

To make these slice and bake cookies, you’ll need the following simple ingredients:

• butter
• sugar
• egg yolks
• vanilla extract
• flour
• salt
• coarse sparkling sugar

For this particular look, be sure to use a coarse sugar. I used this rainbow sparkling sugar from Wilton. If you are looking for a recipe that will uses egg yolks because you’ve made a recipe with egg whites, this one is perfect!

How to Make Sugar Butter Cookies

To make these tasty sparkling sugar cookies, you’ll want to start out by making your sugar cookie log. In a large bowl, cream your butter and sugar before adding in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in your vanilla and set aside. In a separate medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Mix in your flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Once fully combined, shape dough into logs, approximately 1 and 1 /2 inch in diameter. Wrap the sugar cookie log in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Baking Butter Cookies

To bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Unwrap your cookie logs and let sit at room temperature about 15 minutes if refrigerated (longer if frozen).  Just enough so that you can easily slice through the cookie dough. Sprinkle sparkling sugar over the top and gently press down. Cut into even slices, approximately 3/8 inch wide. Place two inches separate on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. (You can also use an ungreased cookie sheet as well.) Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until edge just start to brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to an air tight container.

These rainbow sparkling sugar cookies have a light and buttery taste. They taste great served with coffee or tea and store well. If you love butter cookies, you must try these Danish butter cookies as well which have a rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture!  If you like slice and bake cookies, try my lemon poppyseed cookies. But beware, they are a little addictive!

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Rainbow Sparkling Sugar Butter Cookies

Course Dessert

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 4 to 5 dozen

Author Emilie at OhMySugarHigh.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• coarse sparkling sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
2. Beat in the yolks one at a time.
3. Stir in the vanilla.
4. In separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
5. Mix flour mixture into the creamed mixture.
6. Shape dough into logs about 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Unwrap rolls. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes if refrigerated, longer if frozen.
8. Sprinkle sparkling sugars into top of dough and gently press down. If sugars aren't sticking, allow dough to sit out a bit longer.
9. Cut into approximately 3/8 inch wide slices.
10. Place slices 2 inches apart onto parchment paper or silicone baking sheet lined cookie sheets. (Ungreased will work as well.)
11. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven or until edges just barely start to brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Store in air tight container.

Recipe Notes

Makes approximately 4 to 5 dozen cookies, depending upon how thick you slice or how wide your logs.

This butter cookie recipe makes a good 4 dozen (or more) depending upon how you slice them so they are great for feeding a crowd or for freezing half to enjoy later.