St. Patrick’s Day Crinkle Cookies
Festive crinkle cookies, quick St. Patrick’s Day fun.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 56 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract (optional)
- Green gel food coloring
- Powdered sugar
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Begin by ensuring all your ingredients are at room temperature. This is a crucial step for achieving a smooth, well-emulsified dough, especially important for the butter and cream cheese. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line several baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; this prevents sticking and encourages even baking.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
- Next, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until just combined. Stir in the vanilla extract, peppermint extract (if using), and several drops of green gel food coloring. Start with a few drops and add more until you achieve your desired vibrant green hue. The mixture should look bright and uniformly colored.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing only until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, which is exactly what we want for that characteristic moist interior. Once the dough comes together, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to handle and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring they maintain their beautiful crinkled shape.
- While the dough chills, prepare your powdered sugar coating. Pour a generous amount of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl, ensuring there’s enough to fully coat the cookie dough balls. Once chilled, scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into smooth balls. Work quickly to keep the dough cool. Roll each dough ball generously in the powdered sugar, ensuring it’s completely coated. The thicker the powdered sugar coating, the more prominent your crinkles will be. Place the coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still look soft. The cookies will puff up, and as they cool, they will flatten slightly and those beautiful crinkles will appear. Do not overbake, as this will dry them out. The key to a tender crinkle cookie is to pull them from the oven while they are still slightly soft in the middle. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows them to set up properly and prevents them from breaking. Enjoy these vibrant, soft, and festive St. Patrick’s Day Crinkle Cookies!
Notes
Get ready to infuse your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with a burst of vibrant green goodness! These St. Patrick’s Day Crinkle Cookies are an absolute delight, marrying a tender, cake-like interior with a playfully cracked, sugary exterior. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of sweet vanilla and a hint of mint (if you choose!), creating a truly festive and unforgettable treat. Their whimsical appearance and incredible flavor make them an instant crowd-pleaser, perfect for sharing the luck of the Irish with friends and family.