Shamrock Stenciled Sugar Cookies

Recipe adapted from The Sophisticated Cookie by Jeanne Benedict. These St. Patrick's Day sugar cookies bake up extra crispy because of the powdered sugar. The end product should be a pale creamy color. Check out a craft store with a baking section or baking supply store for the shamrock stencil or create your own as I suggest in the recipe instructions.

Ingredients

• Small shamrock stencil
• 3/4 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup or small bottle green decorator sugar

Directions

• First, look for a small shamrock stencil at your local craft store. If unavailable, make your own using a stencil blank (usually found in the stencil section of craft stores), or use cardstock. Simply draw a small shamrock image on to the cardstock and cut it out. Make sure that the image is no larger than 2 inches so that it will fit on to your 3-inch cookies.
• Add butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Sift together flour and baking powder and beat into mixture until combined. Form a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with 3-inch round cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared sheet. Place shamrock stencil on cookies and sprinkle green sugar within the shamrock shape. Lift off the stencil to reveal your shamrock. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove cookies from oven and cool completely.

  Makes about 24 cookies