Autumn Leaves Photo
Autumn Leaves

YIELD Makes about 2 dozen cookies
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INGREDIENTS

1‑1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3‑1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Yellow, orange and red food colorings
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

PREPARATION:

  1. Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves; beat at low speed until well blended.
  2. Divide dough into 5 equal sections. Stir cocoa into 1 section until well blended. (If dough is too dry and will not hold together, add 1 teaspoon water; beat until well blended and dough forms ball.) Stir yellow food coloring into 1 section until well blended. Repeat with 2 sections and orange and red food colorings. Leave remaining 1 section plain.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Working with half of each dough color, press colors together lightly. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with leaf-shaped cookie cutters of various shapes and sizes. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough sections and scraps.
  4. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
  5. Place chocolate chips in small resealable food storage bag; seal. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute; knead bag lightly. Microwave on HIGH for additional 30-second intervals until chips are completely melted, kneading bag after each 30-second interval. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Pipe chocolate onto cookies in vein patterns.
This recipe appears in: Fall