Olive You Sugar Cookies

As we head into the holiday season, it is always nice to rely on tried and true staples. We have been making these sugar cookies for years and they make the perfect dessert and they make a great accompaniment to an evening coffee.

3 cups, flour
¾ tsp, baking powder
½ tsp, kosher salt
1 cup, unsalted sweet cream butter – softened
1 cup, sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp, water
Food coloring for olive design – 2 drops red, 5 drops green
Powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer to cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Once mixed, slowly add the egg and water. Mix on low speed until combined.

With the mixer still on low gradually add in the dry mixture in 3 batches. Mix until the dough starts to form a ball and pulls easily away from the sides of the bowl.

If making olive design follow the next few steps, if not skip to dough firming step.

If making the olive design:

Separate an eighth of the dough and drop 2 drops of red food coloring to the center and knead to combine. Take ¾ of the remaining dough and place 5 drops of food coloring into the center of the dough and knead until color is easily distributed. Leave the remaining dough uncolored.

To form the dough: On a powdered sugar dusted surface roll the red dough into a thin rod - about 14 inches long, set aside. Dust the surface with more powdered sugar if needed and roll the green dough into a thick log (make sure it's the same length as the red dough). Using your thumb flatten one of the long sides of the green dough – flatten the dough so there is enough room to wrap the flattened dough around the red rod. Roll the flat edge of the green dough around the red so the dough forms and oval shape. Using a rolling pin roll the uncolored dough into a thin layer and roll around the olive dough design.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let firm up in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Towards the end of 2 hours preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take chilled dough and slice using a sharp knife and cut into 1/4-inch thin cookies. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire cooling rack.

Continue to bake the cookies in batches until dough is gone.

Dough can be made and formed ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for a week.

Enjoy!