Description
These beautiful fall leaf cookies are perfect for autumn festivities and decorating.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 Egg Whites
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- Orange, Brown, Yellow and Red Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the butter with the sugar until creamy and light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time until combined. Then add in the vanilla extract. Continue mixing.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Divide the cookie dough into 2-3 balls.
- Roll out each of the dough balls onto a lightly floured surface until the dough is approximately ¼ inch thick. Then use a leaf cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Continue this process until all the dough is formed into the cookies.
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a metal spatula move the cut cookies to the parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges (just a slight change of color).
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then carefully move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely (about 10 minutes).
- Beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl with a stand up mixer until frothy.
- Reduce the speed on the mixer to low and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract.
- Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
- Divide the icing evenly into 4 mixing bowls.
- Dye each bowl of icing a different color: orange, brown, yellow and red.
- Transfer the icing to piping bags fitted with a Wilton tip number 5.
- Outline the leaf cookies with the icing. Make sure to use a different color with each leaf cookie to get a variety of fall leaves. Let it set for at least 30 seconds to dry.
- Fill in the cookies with the icing and use a butter knife to spread it around inside of the cookies.
- Let that icing set before adding any more icing on top (to make the veins on the leaves).
- Let the cookies set for the icing to dry fully and then they are ready to serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to let the icing dry completely before stacking the cookies to prevent smudging.
- These cookies are great for decorating with kids!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg