pink champagne cookies

Please don’t hate me for shoving another cookie recipe in your face after what may have been the most sugar coma-inducing week of the year.

And I’m not really shoving these cookies in your face, anyway, as I’m more just highly, highly suggesting that you make room for them in your tummy for New Year’s Eve. Pretty please.

I’m not really one to get all googly-eyed over pretty foods (I’m more of the, “Oh, that mound of brown goop tastes just like chocolate ganache? LET ME AT IT” type), but I couldn’t get over how cute and fanciful these cookies looked in the recipe photo and so, I had to make them. And, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, I’m so glad I did.

You see, pink champagne — or champagne in general, for that matter — isn’t really my favorite on its own, but when you reduce it, bake it into a cookie and then top said cookie with a champagne-tinged icing… well, that’s an entirely different matter. The result is a soft, sweet cookie with an almost tart, almost grapefruit-like flavor imparted by the reduced champagne. They’re kind of like the Audrey Hepburn of cookies to me — like a classy party in cookie form. I don’t know. I can’t be trusted to have much logic right now, considering I made cookies the day after Christmas.

Anywhos, my suggestion is that you make these cookies on New Year’s Eve, share them with loved ones (and I am in full support if that just means you and your cat, meaning you get all the cookies) and dance-party the night away, you classy dance partier, you.

P.S. Here! I even have a playlist I made for you and your January. And here’s one my husband made, too (we kind of have this weird playlist competition going on. Because we’re cool like that).

Pink Champagne Cookies

• Author: Adapted from Cuisine at Home
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins
• Total Time: 37 mins
• Yield: 2 dozen cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups pink champagne or sparkling wine
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening

For the icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• Pinch of salt

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Instructions

1. Pour pink champagne into a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil champagne until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a measuring cup; chill until cold.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
3. In a separate large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream 1/2 cup sugar and shortening until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the cold champagne reduction; stir to combine (shortening will be lumpy). Add flour mixture and stir until a very soft dough forms.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 1-inch balls, rolling each ball of dough in remaining sugar before transferring to prepared baking sheet.
5. Lightly press down dough with fingers or the back of a measuring cup dipped in sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until edges are just set. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, make the icing: Whisk together powdered sugar with remaining 1/4 cup cold champagne reduction and pinch of salt. Dip cooled cookies in icing, letting excess drip off. Let icing set for a couple of minutes, then sprinkle with pearl sugar or sprinkles. Let icing set completely before serving.

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