Shamrock window cookies

I love St. Patrick’s day and look for ways to celebrate the holiday throughout the month of March. I got a little inspiration from some shamrocks I found in the garden and decided to incorporate them into a cookie. I absolutely love how they turned out. Its a three part process to make these cookies but the end result is so charming on a cookie platter!

Step one:

Bake your cookies. I have made these cookies with gingerbread, shortbread and sugar cookie dough. All of them held their shape so it is just a matter of preference. You will need two cookie cutters, one large and one small enough to fit inside to create the "window" for your cookies.

Select the cookie dough you want to work with and roll it out onto parchment paper. Press your outer cookie cutter shape and then center the smaller one inside. Use a toothpick to gently lift out the center piece.

Bake your cookies according to directions.

Step two:

Frost your cookies

First pipe the outline you want your frosting to fill and after it has dried for 15 minutes, fill the remaining shape with frosting. If you wish to add any sprinkles or additional decorations, it is best to do it now before adding the sugar glass window.

Step 3

Sugar Glass

(Recipe Below)

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and flavoring on the stovetop and boil until 300 degrees, which is the hard crack stage of candy. It is important to have a candy thermometer so that you don’t scald the sugar with a temperature that is too high and just as important, so that you do not undercook the sugar glass and have a gooey mess instead of the hard, lollipop like glass.

Once the sugar mixture has reached 300 degrees, it is important to work quickly as the sugar cools very fast when you remove it from the stovetop. Have your cookies next to the range all set up and ready on a Silpat mat or parchment paper sprayed heavily with non stick cooking spray. Gently pour the sugar mixture into the opening of your cookie. It should be thick and viscous, allowing you to slowly pour the mixture in, up to the edges of your cutout.

The sugar glass will begin to cool before you have even finished pouring all of your cookies. By placing a small dab of water on your sugar glass and rubbing it gently with your finger, you will get the sticky surface needed to stick the fresh shamrock to your cookie. Gently place the shamrock into place with and stand back and enjoy the beautiful cookies you have just created.

I hope this guide was helpful and that these cookies give you the same sense of joy they gave me!

SUGAR GLASS RECIPE

1 3/4 Cups of sugar

3/4 Cup light corn syrup

1/2 Cup of water

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Using a candy thermometer, bring your mixture to the hard crack stage of 300 degrees. Remove from heat and quickly pour into prepared molds or cookies.

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