Pretzel-Winged Angel Sugar Cookies

Add a twist to your classic sugar cookie recipe. Pretzels make the perfect wings and add a salty kick to the otherwise sweet treat.

Pretzel-Winged Angels Cookie
Photo: Jason Donnelly
Prep Time:
35 mins
Chill Time:
2 hrs
Bake Time:
7 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Servings:
36
Yield:
36 to 48 cookies

Ingredients

  • cup butter, softened

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 egg

  • 1 tablespoon milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 recipe Royal Icing

  • large twisted pretzels

  • small twisted pretzels

  • vanilla-flavor candy coating

  • yellow nonpareils

  • white nonpareils

  • yellow food coloring

  • yellow star-shape sprinkles

Royal Icing

  • 1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (4-1/4 cups)

  • 3 tablespoon meringue powder

  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

  • ½ cup warm water

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough portion at a time to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4- to 5-inch-long gingerbread girl cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

  3. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

  4. For each angel, place 2 large pretzels and 1 small pretzel on parchment paper. Melt vanilla-flavor candy coating; spoon melted coating into holes of pretzels. Sprinkle wet coating with yellow and white nonpareils; chill until set.

To decorate:

  1. Outline and flood cookies as desired with glaze-consistency white and yellow-tinted Royal Icing. Using a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip, pipe hair, shoes, and outlines of coats with frosting-consistency yellow icing. Decorate coats with small yellow star-shape sprinkles. Using melted candy coating, attach 2 coating-filled regular-size pretzels for wings and 1 coating-filled tiny pretzel for a halo on each angel.

Royal Icing

  1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until icing is very stiff. If not using right away, cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cover paper towel with plastic wrap; chill for up to 48 hours.

To Store:

Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

**Tip:

Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

74 Calories
4g Fat
10g Carbs
1g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 36
Calories 74
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 49mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Calcium 10.1mg 1%
Iron 0.4mg 2%
Potassium 11mg 0%
Folate, total 12.1mcg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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