Disco Ball Cookies for Your Sparkling New Year’s Eve Celebration

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookie Dough (Makes about 24 cookies)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

For the Royal Icing (Enough for decorating 24 cookies)

• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons meringue powder (or egg whites if using fresh)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup warm water (adjust to desired consistency)
• Gel food coloring (bright colors like pink, blue, purple, and green)
• Edible glitter (optional)
• Nonpareil sprinkles or small candy balls

Instructions

For the Sugar Cookie Dough:

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract (and almond extract if using) until well combined.

4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough just comes together.

5. Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.

6. Roll and Cut: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter (around 3 inches) to cut out your cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

7. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

For the Royal Icing:

1. Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the warm water, starting with 1/4 cup, and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth.

2. Adjust Consistency: If the icing is too thick, add more water, a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. You want the icing to be thick enough to pipe but able to smooth itself out a little after applying.

3. Divide and Color: Divide the icing into small bowls, and add your gel food coloring to each. Stir until you achieve the desired colors for decorating your disco ball cookies.

Decorating the Disco Ball Cookies:

1. Base Layer: Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle filled with white royal icing to cover the top of each cooled cookie. Allow this base layer to dry for at least 30 minutes.

2. Mosaic Design: After the base layer dries, pipe small, mosaic-like sections onto each cookie using different colors of royal icing. Alternate between colors and allow each section to dry before moving to the next to maintain the design integrity.

3. Add Glitter and Sparkle: While the icing is still tacky, sprinkle edible glitter and add nonpareil sprinkles or small candy balls to give the cookies a disco ball look.

4. Dry and Serve: Allow the cookies to dry completely (at least 2 hours) before serving. Enjoy the sparkling results!