Lace Embossed Sugar Cookies Recipe

I have always loved the idea of sugar cookies – just the name is so romantic to me! And with such a sweet and simple treat it seemed like a match made in heaven to lightly emboss these biscuits with some gorgeous lace, creating a pretty addition perfect for a kitchen tea or dessert table.

So why not have a dig through your pretty table linens or sewing box and see what lacy treasures you can find (that won’t be ruined by a bit of cookie dough) and get baking! You can use any biscuit recipe, but be aware the softer the dough the less likely it will be that your beautifully embossed pattern stands out. Best to have a practice beforehand if they’re for a special event, which as a bonus means extra biscuits for you – yum!

What you need:

• Baking tools – 2 x bowls, hand held beaters, cooling racks, a flat biscuit tray, baking paper, spatula, cookie cutter
• Heavy rolling pin
• Your chosen embossing fabric (I used lovely old lace, but a doily would look gorgeous too!)
• Baking ingredients (see recipe below)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour (plus extra for rolling)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 120g butter (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step 1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in one bowl and set aside. In another bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until just combined.

Step 2. Slowly mix in the flour mixture with a fork until combined. I used my hands for the last little bit to make sure it was all sticking together. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the refrigerator for approximately half an hour, or until the dough is firm.

Step 3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees, and line your tray with baking paper. Flour your surface, remove the dough from the fridge and let sit for five minutes. Roll out the dough to approximately half a centimetre thick.

Step 4. Lay out your lace (or chosen fabric) and roll into the dough. Make sure you keep the fabric still, and bear in mind that although you may need to place quite a bit of weight on the rolling pin, you also don’t want to squash the dough too thin. I found the best technique involved a little more pressing than rolling – but have some fun! Have a play around and remember, you can always roll the dough out again!

Step 5. Cut out your cookies and place on your prepared tray. Place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to make sure the delicately embossed pattern stays put. Bake for ten minutes or until just browning around the outside.

Step 6. Cool on a baking tray and repeat the process until you’ve used up all your dough. Be creative and try lots of different patterns – you might be surprised by which ones turn out best!

These bonny biscuits are sweet and buttery, perfect for an afternoon tea and easy to make with a group of friends. The delicate pattern is so pretty, you may even want to wrap these up as gifts for your lucky guests!

Ms Chinoiserie Says: Such an easy way to make yummy biscuits even more pretty! I’m off to find my grandmother’s old lace!

About Nicola Goring – I’m Nicola, the florist and crafter behind rubyandjoy. I’m a gardening, fabric loving, mint tea drinking, brownie baking, book obsessed maker! I love a good adventure having just moved back from five years in Scotland (with my lovely Scottish husband).