Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes Sugar-Cookie Stars 4.0 (5) 1 Review By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 21, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Emily Kate Roemer Prep Time: 1 hrs 20 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Yield: 32 Basic sugar cookies are the star of dessert when iced and decorated with edible silver dust. The icing will thicken as it sits, so make it once the cookies have cooled. Ingredients For the Cookies 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface ¾ teaspoon baking powder Salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract For the Icing 2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted 2 pasteurized egg whites Edible silver dust, for sifting Directions Make the cookies: Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, then vanilla. Refrigerate dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out various star shapes using 3-to-4-inch cutters. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 inch apart. Bake until cookies are just turning gold around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets set on wire racks for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks. Let cool completely. Make the icing: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until icing is glossy-white and holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface for 5 seconds when beater is raised, about 5 minutes. Transfer icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe an outline of icing around the edges, then flood each cookie with more icing to cover. Sift edible silver dust over cookies. Let cookies dry completely. Cook's Notes Dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw before using. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Rate it Print