Leaf Cookies Recipes

FALL LEAF TUILE COOKIES

Steps:

• Make chocolate and white tuile batters according to recipes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trace a leaf onto a large, flexible plastic lid, such as one from a coffee can. Using scissors, cut lip from lid. With a utility knife, cut out the leaf shape to make a stencil.
• Place nonstick baking mat on top of a baking sheet, and place stencil on mat. Using a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of chocolate batter over stencil; carefully lift up stencil. Repeat, making more leaves, spacing evenly on baking mat. Transfer 1/2 cup white batter into a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip. Pipe white veins onto chocolate leaves. Bake 4 minutes.
• Using spatula, drape leaves over rolling pin to cool. Repeat process to make 50 cookies, reserving 1/2 cup chocolate batter.
• Repeat step 2 with white batter, using reserved chocolate batter for piping.

MAPLE LEAF COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add yolk, then 1/2 cup maple syrup, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a sheet of lightly floured parchment. Place parchment with dough on baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and coat parchment. Cut out cookies from frozen dough using a 3 1/2-inch maple-leaf-shaped cutter, and space 1 inch apart on sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies until edges begin to turn golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks, and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush cookies with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and sprinkle with 1/2 the sanding sugar. Let cool. Repeat with remaining dough, maple syrup, and sugar. (Cookies will keep for up to 2 days.)

LEAF SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in two batches until just combined. Divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; shape into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough on a floured surface, dusting with flour as needed, until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 2- to 4-inch leaf cookie cutters; arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (If the dough becomes too soft as you work, return to the refrigerator until firm.) Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350˚. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are slightly puffed and just slightly golden on the edge, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely before decorating.

MAPLE LEAF COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/8-in. thickness; cut with a cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (do not overbake). Remove to wire racks to cool. For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Add syrup; beat until smooth. If leaf veins are desired, set aside 1/2 cup; add food coloring to remaining frosting. Spread red frosting on cookies. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert round tip into bag. Fill bag with reserved frosting; pipe veins on leaves.

LEAF COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Stir together sugar, butter and shortening in large bowl. Stir in vanilla and eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.
• Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Stir 8 drops yellow food color into 1 part dough to make yellow dough. Stir 8 drops yellow and 3 drops red food color into another part dough to make orange dough. Stir 10 drops red, 8 drops green and 3 drops yellow food color into remaining dough to make brown dough.
• Drop small portions of each of the 3 colors of dough close together in random pattern onto lightly floured cloth-covered surface. Roll doughs together into marbled pattern to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2- to 3-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched in center. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.