Pastel Crinkle Cookies (Print Version)
Soft chewy cookies with pastel colors and crackled sugar coating
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - ¼ cup whole milk
→ For Coloring
09 - Pink, yellow, green, and blue gel food coloring
→ For Rolling
10 - ¾ cup powdered sugar
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract. Mix well.
05 - Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts, alternating with milk, mixing until just combined.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into 3 or 4 bowls. Tint each portion with gel food coloring, mixing gently to achieve pastel shades.
07 - Chill dough for 20 minutes if it feels too soft to handle.
08 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll them in powdered sugar until well coated, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and tops are crackled but still soft in the center.
10 - Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Theyre impossibly pretty but surprisingly simple, making you look like a baking wizard with minimal effort
- The crackled tops and soft centers create that perfect cookie texture everyone fights over
02 -
- Overworking the colored dough will make it tough, so mix gently once the coloring goes in
- The powdered sugar coating is absolutely necessary for those signature cracks to form
03 -
- Warm dough spreads too much, so keep it chilled until it hits the oven
- Underbake slightly for the softest centers, they'll continue cooking on the hot pan