Icicle Ornament Cookies~

This past weekend, I started my holiday baking. Once the gifts are all bought, I find baking a wonderfully relaxing past time. I always have to make my family's favorite cookies but it's always fun to try something new each year. The results of a Christmas cookie contest, sponsored by our local newspaper, was just published and the first one to catch my attention were these Icicle Ornament Cookies. It won in the 'Special' category and took third place overall. 

I thought the idea was charming and the melted white chocolate in the batter sounded interesting! So many fun ways to use these cookies came to mind.  They would be adorable hanging on a Foodie Christmas tree.

And what could be better than a cookie with a handle to keep your fingers from getting wet when dunking :-) These do tend to harden up a bit the next day which makes them sturdy as an ornament and perfect for dunking.

There is one more winner from the contest that I will be sharing soon!

Icicle Ornament Cookies
Adapted from Cookies for All Occasions Cookbook and Winner of Milwaukee Journal Sentinal 'Special Category' Cookie Contest 2011
Printable Recipe

2-1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 squares (2 ounces) white chocolate, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sparkling sugar or edible glitter
Slender Ribbon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the melted white chocolate, egg and extracts. Gradually add flour mixture untill well blended.

Shape dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.

Place parchment paper or a silicone mat on a baking sheet.

Shape walnut-sized pieces of dough into a rope about 8 inches long. Fold rope in half and while holding the folded end of dough with one hand, wrap the loose ends around each other, leaving a hole at the top and taper the ends to make a point. Carefully roll in sugar or place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with edible glitter.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 11 minutes or until they just turn golden. Cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.

Pull a piece of ribbon through the hole on the top and tie a knot. If necessary, you can use a round toothpick to poke the hole open again if it closed during baking.