Bird-Shaped Easter Sugar Cookies

If you are looking for unique ideas to bake some beautiful sugar cookies for Easter that your kids, friends and family would enjoy, these ultra-cute, very adorable and very delicious Baby Bird Sugar Cookies are perfect for the occasion! Everyone loves making Easter eggs, but these cookies will compliment any thing on your celebration table, not to mention they look so pretty they would surely be the center of attraction at your entertaining gala. Basic Sugar Cookies accented by Almond flavor, cut into baby bird shapes, then iced with lovely pastel-colored cookie icing, you’ll be surprised how delicious they are, that is, if you can force yourself to stop adoring them and actually put one in your mouth! This elegant Easter recipe comes from our partner channel, the Woman’s Day magazine [photo by Anastassios Mentis] and is definitely worth the work involved.

Flavored with Almond extract, these Sugar cookies get a unique flavor, and the birdie cutouts are irresistibly cute. But the icing is what takes the battle. Using confectioner’s sugar and pastel food colors, this recipe calls for homemade icing which you can easily apply on the cookies using a pastry brush. Then dust these with sanding sugar, which is basically a large-crystal sugar used as an edible decoration that will not dissolve when subjected to heat. Also called pearl sugar or decorating sugar, it is available in several colors and is used to add a “sparkling effect” to cookies, baked goods and candies. This recipe calls for using finely ground white sanding sugar, so the icing looks finished and does not dry off. For those that are too busy to bake their own cookies this holiday season, try the cookie delivery service from Shari’s Berries!

Colorful Baby Bird Easter Cookies
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Servings: 14 cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp almond extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Assorted paste, gel or liquid food colors
White sanding (fine crystal) sugar
6″ bird cookie cutter

Method
Pulse almonds in food processor until finely chopped. Add flour; process until almonds are finely ground. Add butter; pulse until crumbs form. Add sugar, egg and 1 1/2 tsp extract. Process just until dough forms.

Pat dough into a ball; divide in half. Place one half between 2 sheets of wax paper on a dampened work surface; roll out to 1/4 in. thick. Repeat with other half. Slide onto a baking sheet; place in freezer about 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Remove top sheet of wax paper. With floured cutter, cut out as many birds as possible. With metal spatula, remove birds; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, just until golden. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack 2 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely. Re-roll scraps; cut more birds.

For The Icing:
Stir 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, remaining 1/2 tsp extract and 2 to 3 Tbsp water until smooth. Divide among smaller bowls; tint each to desired color. Spread icing over each cookie.

Stir 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with about 4 tsp water until thick enough to pipe. Spoon into small ziptop bag; snip off a tiny corner of bag. Pipe designs on a cookie, then immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Repeat with other cookies. Let dry at least 12 hours. Tap off any excess sugar.

You can store the un-iced cookies airtight at room temperature up to a week, and the decorated cookies up to 3 days