Sweet Delights: Sugar Cookies by Peeps
Bring a burst of colour and sweetness to your Easter celebrations with these adorable Peep cookies! Inspired by the classic Peeps marshmallow treats, these homemade cookies are a festive and delicious addition to any Easter gathering.
To create these charming treats, you'll need a few essential ingredients: vanilla bean sugar cookie dough, Peeps candy, coloured sugar, buttercream frosting, food colouring, and a variety of cookie cutters and piping bags.
**Ingredients:** - Vanilla bean sugar cookie dough (or your favourite sugar cookie recipe) - Peeps candy (for decoration) - Coloured sugar (multiple colours for sprinkling) - Buttercream frosting (recipe below) - Food colouring (gel or liquid, for tinting frosting and sugar) - Optional: chocolate chips or chocolate bits (for filling, if desired) - Egg and cream (for egg wash, if desired)
**Tools:** - Cookie cutters (shapes of your choice) - Piping bags and tips (for buttercream decorating) - Pastry brush (for egg wash, if using)
**Step-by-Step Instructions:**
1. **Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough** Make your favourite vanilla bean sugar cookie dough, or use a standard sugar cookie recipe. Chill the dough, roll it out, and cut into desired shapes. For Peeps-inspired cookies, use egg- or chick-shaped cutters for the classic Peeps look.
2. **Add Coloured Sugar** Sprinkle the shaped cookies generously with coloured sugar before baking, gently pressing the sugar into the dough so it adheres. For multiple colours, use different tinted sugars on each cookie or create decorative patterns.
3. **Bake the Cookies** Bake according to your recipe’s instructions. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
4. **Make Buttercream Frosting** Prepare a batch of classic buttercream frosting. Tint portions of the frosting with food colouring to match the sugar or for decorative accents. Use gel colours for vibrant, stable hues. Spoon the frosting into piping bags fitted with desired tips for decorating.
5. **Decorate with Buttercream** Pipe swirls, dots, or lines onto each cooled cookie with your coloured buttercream. Alternate colours for a playful, festive look. Let the frosting set for a few minutes.
6. **Add Peeps for Finishing Touch** Once the frosting is set, gently press a Peeps candy onto each cookie. If you’re creative, pipe a “nest” of frosting and place a Peeps chick inside, or decorate around the Peeps with more frosting details.
**Optional: Chocolate Filling** For a fun surprise, roll a small ball of cookie dough around a chocolate chip or bit of chocolate before shaping and baking, creating a “surprise inside” effect.
**Tips for Best Results:** - Prevent Sugar Sprinkles from Melting: Bake at the recommended temperature; coloured sugar may darken or melt if the oven is too hot. - Vibrant Frosting Colors: Use gel food colouring for the brightest, most stable colours without thinning the frosting. - Custom Shapes: Use differently shaped cutters for themed batches—dinosaurs, flowers, or hearts for variety. - Egg Wash Shine: For extra shine (not used on the cookies above), gently brush cookies with a beaten egg mixed with a splash of cream before adding sugar.
**Buttercream Frosting (Basic Recipe)** **Ingredients** - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened - 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted) - 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - Pinch of salt
**Instructions** 1. Beat butter until creamy. 2. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt, beating until light and fluffy. 3. Tint with food colouring as desired.
These colourful, festive cookies are perfect for holidays, parties, or as a sweet spring treat. With their cheerful appearance and delicious taste, these Peep cookies are sure to be a hit with both kids and adults alike! Enjoy!
Cooking these Peep cookies is a delightful addition to your food-and-drink collection and an advisable part of your home-and-garden lifestyle for Easter celebrations. With recipes for sugar cookie dough, buttercream frosting, and various decorative elements, these charming treats will transform your cooking routine into a festive endeavor, making them a delightful addition to any Easter gathering.
