The Livjeournal community BakeBakeBake has been such an excellent resource in my baking journeys, and people post such awesome things! When bluntmeticulous posted her Super Mario cookies, I knew I had to give them a shot.
These were so fun to make! After making the sugar cookie dough, I colored parts of it using Wilton’s Color Gels. Using gels instead of the liquid food coloring we’re all used to allows for deeper, more vibrant colors. Mine didn’t turn out as colorful as I would have liked, but the point still came across! Making the ones that I did took quite a bit of time; I can only imagine how long it took bluntmeticulous.
The recipe I used was Martha Stewart’s Ideal Sugar Cookies. They turned out wonderful! They’re lightly sweet, softer in the middle, and firmer on the edges. It’s an excellent recipe for shaped cookies.
Martha Stewart’s Ideal Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons brandy, or milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. With mixer running, add egg, brandy (or milk), and vanilla; mix until incorporated.
Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
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