Candle Cookies

Why you'll love them?

• Unique, fun and creative.
• No special tools needed.
• Shockingly easy to make.
• Freezer friendly.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Flour - Adding to much flour is a common baking mistake. Refer to the informative guide provided in my homemade doughnut recipe to guarantee precise measurement.
• Cocoa powder - As with all cocoa powder recipes, I prefer to use Dutch-processed cocoa, for its milder and more complex flavor.
• Butter - Make sure to use room temperature butter.
• Sugar - Like in my chocolate shortbreads, I like to use confectioners sugar to give a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture to the candle cookies.
• Food color - I used red food coloring to create a bloody effect. You can skip to maintain a white icing or choose a different color.
• Sliced almonds - To mimic the tip of a burning candle.

Tip: Use gel food coloring and not liquid.

1.Whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt in a small bowl.

2. Combine butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla extract in a larger bowl. Beat with an electric beater, until smooth and creamy, about one minute.

3. Add the combined flour mixture and milk, beat on medium speed, until it looks crumbly.

Pro tip: Check for right consistency - Roll about a tablespoon of measure dough in between the palms of your hands. You should be able to form a firm, smooth ball without any cracks. If you see any cracks, mix about a teaspoon more milk.

4. Using your hands, gently shape the dough to form a ball.

5. Pinch about 2 tablespoons, measure dough, and roll into a very thick log.

6 & 7. Roll the log gently across a wire rack, applying very little pressure to elongate it to about 3 inches and create an appealing decorative pattern.

Tip: I like to go in different directions to make a pretty pattern.

8. Insert one sliced almond on one end of the log. Repeat process to shape the remaining candle cookies. Place shaped candle cookies in a parchment-lined baking pan, spacing about an inch apart. Place pan in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to help the cookies firm up.

Pro tip: I strategically place the cookies so that the almonds are in the middle of the baking pan. This prevents them from overly browning during the baking process.

Bake cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes or it feels slightly firm to the touch and the cookies look darker in color. Cool completely.

Make icing - Stir together confectioners sugar, water and vanilla extract in a medium bowl to get a very thick but dripping consistency. Adjust water as needed. Mix in some red food coloring to get a deep red color. Transfer icing into a quart size zip lock bag or small piping bag.

Tip: The icing consistency should be thick enough to drip down slowly, without being runny. Too thick? Mix in some water! Too thin? Stir in more confectioners sugar.

To decorate, place cookies in a upright position and then drizzle some icing around the sliced almond and let it drizzle down the candle. Let stand for a few hours for the icing to harden before serving.

Pro tip: To stand candle cookies upright, fill a baking pan with raw rice, lentils, coffee beans, or raw sugar, and then gently insert the cookies into it.

How to store?

Decorated candle cookies can be stored for up to 3 days in an air tight container.

To freeze - Like the Halloween trees, place baked and cooled candle cookies, without icing in a zip lock and freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Prepare icing and decorate one or two days before serving.

Helpful tips

• Use gel food coloring and not liquid.
• Use different color icing as needed.
• Cookie dough should be firm yet be able to be rolled into a log without any cracks.
• The icing consistency should be thick enough to drip down slowly, without being runny.