Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

I am a Halloween junkie! I love everything about Halloween, and constantly use the term “spoopy”; because I can’t get enough of the spooky and the cute. So whenever I get an opportunity to make something spoopy, I am so game! Candy corn seems to be one of the most hated Halloween candies and can cause quite a controversy. Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are soooo cute! So, the Candy Corn Sugar Cookies came to me pretty easily as an idea but took several batches to fully perfect to my tastes. I wanted a tasty sugar cookie that could be rolled out but wanted a little something extra. Enter the orange and lemon flavors. There’s a small amount of each to lend a  subtle flavor to the Candy Corn Sugar Cookies, which are made even better with the garnish of white chocolate or candy melts. Yummers! I probably made about 4 different batches, altering the recipe each time to get it just right, and I am NOT complaining. I’ve had about 2 months worth of these cookies to snack my way through. I’m such a cookie monster… They take a bit of time to get together, but I think it’s worth it!

First, cream the softened, room temp butter and sugar on a standing mixer. Once well blended and creamy, add in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on low. Separately, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I always like to stir my flour mixes with a whisk, just to get it a bit more light and airy. Does this actually work? I do not know, but it’s a thing I do.

Then, one spoonful at a time, mix the flour mixture into cream mixture on low. Mix until combined and moist. If you stop mixing too soon, you’ll get crumbles. Allow it to mix just a bit more to fully incorporate.

The next few steps are all about taking that big heap of dough and creating 3 flavors out of it. Equally, divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Set one aside as the vanilla. In the second portion, beat in lemon extract and yellow food coloring on low for the lemon. Then repeat on the third portion with the orange extract and food coloring. Now we have a vanilla, lemon and orange flavor of dough. Divide each flavor in half which will create 6 portions of dough.  One portion of the dough at a time, knead gently on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rope. I don’t put much effort into the thickness or length, because I roll it further later. Wrap each of the 6 ropes in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours.

Now are the steps that are a bit tough to explain, so brace yourself! Remove 1 rope of each flavor from fridge to a lightly floured workspace and preheat oven to 350. Next is an optional step depending on your workspace availability and preferences. I like to quarter each rope equally for 12 smaller pieces of rope.  I feel this gives me more control over rolling it out, but you’re welcome to skip this step.

Take one rope piece of each flavor and roll into approximately 1” thick pieces. Try to match the length of the rope for each flavor and place them lengthwise next to one another, just shy of touching, as shown in the photo above. Cover with parchment paper and roll over to flatten and combine the 3 flavors. Roll into a rectangle shape with straight edges and approximately ⅛” thick. You can use a knife to push the edges further and create straight sides.

Cut the dough into equal sized triangles. Cut to your preference, I usually do 4-5 cookies but you can do more or less to change the size up. Use the knife again to push the sides of each triangle for a perfectly straight edge. Very gently transfer the triangles to an ungreased baking sheet, about 1” apart. Be careful while transferring, as the flavors will separate from each other if not supported. I use a spatula to keep them in one piece. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until edges are just slightly golden. Cool for 2 minutes on the pan, then very carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat for all of the remaining dough.

Now, we garnish with the white chocolate chips or candy melts and sprinkles of choice! Melt the white chocolate or candy melts per the packaging and dip the wide edge of each cookie in. Before it sets, dip in the nonpareils or sugar crystals to Garnish. Place dipped cookies on wax or parchment paper to set fully before moving or eating. These are some of my favorite cookies, they’re addictively tasty and super cute! Let us know if you give the recipe a try by tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @GarnishingLife #GarnishingLife

Print

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

Servings 4 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Butter Softened
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tsp Lemon Extract
• 1 Tsp Orange Extract
• Yellow and Orange Food Coloring as desired
• 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour extra for dough work
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• Pinch Baking Soda
• Pinch Salt
• 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips or White, Orange and/or Yellow Candy Melts for Garnish
• White, Yellow and/or Orange Nonpareils or Sugar Crystals for Garnish

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Gradually mix flour mixture into cream mixture, adding by spoonfuls.
• Mix until combined and moist.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal portions.
• Designate one portion as the “vanilla” and set aside.
• Add lemon extract and yellow food coloring to 1 portion, this is the “lemon”.
• Beat on low until well blended; set aside.
• Add orange extract and orange food coloring to the remaining dough for the “orange”.
• Beat on low until well blended; set aside.
• Divide each flavor in half, equalling 6 portions of dough.
• For each portion, knead gently on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rope. Thickness or length as preferred, as it will be rolled again after refrigeration.
• Wrap each of the 6 ropes in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Transfer 1 rope of each flavor from fridge, to a lightly floured workspace.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• *Now, divide each rope into 4 equal sized pieces. This will give you 12 smaller pieces of rope.
• Next, take one rope piece of each flavor and roll into approximately 1” thick pieces. Try to match the length of the rope for each flavor.
• Place the dough side by side lengthwise and cover with parchment paper.
• Gently, roll over the parchment paper to combine the 3 flavors until approximately ⅛” thick.
• Remove the parchment paper.
• Using a knife, push the edges to even out the rolled dough and make a long rectangle with straight sides.
• Cut the dough into 4 or 5 equal sized triangles. Depending on if you would like larger or smaller cookies, cut as desired.
• Use the knife again to push the sides of each triangle for a perfectly straight edge.
• Place the cookies approximately 1” apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 6-8 minutes, until edges are just slightly golden.
• Cool for 2 minutes on the pan, then very carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat steps 15-28 for dough that was left in the fridge.
• In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate chips or candy melts as directed on packaging.
• Dip the wide edge (top of the triangle) into the melted chocolate/candy.
• Then dip into a small bowl of nonpareils or sugar crystals to Garnish.
• Place dipped cookies on wax or parchment paper to set.

Notes

The dough may be left in the fridge overnight and cut in the morning if desired. I would not leave the dough in the fridge for longer than 24 hours without further packaging it to prevent any flavor alterations.

Keep the 2nd half of the ropes in the fridge while working with the first half. The dough is much easier to work with when it is cool.

*You may skip the step of cutting the ropes into 4 pieces each if preferred, I like to work with smaller amounts at a time for ease.

Typically the candy has the orange color in the center, but I prefer to mix mine up! You may set the dough in any order of color.

There is a lot of freedom with the candy melts and sprinkles. Mix it up for fun, or use the same color across the entire batch for cohesion. Sometimes I’ll use orange melts with yellow sprinkles and yellow melts with the orange sprinkles - or orange melts with black and orange sprinkles for extra Halloween vibes.

Be sure to allow the candy melts or white chocolate to fully set before packaging the cookies up.

Keep in an airtight container for up to one week.