New Year's Resolution Cookies

Level: Intermediate
Yield: 10 cookies
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 of 10 servings): Calories 477, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Carbohydrates 84 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugar 61 g, Protein 4 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Sodium 57 mg
Total Time: 11 hr 35 min (includes chilling and drying times)
Active Time: 1 hr 15 min

Imagine ringing in the New Year with these enchanting sugar cookies, crafted as delicate champagne flutes hiding two joyful surprises inside. Perfect for dazzling guests at a glamorous black-tie bash or cozy family toastthey'll spark delight and conversation with every pop!

Sugar Cookie Dough:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (see Cook's Note)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Royal Icing and Decoration Ingredients:

1 pound (about 3 1/2 cups) confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Gold gel food coloring for tinting the icing
Black food color marker for decorating details
White and gold decorative sprinkles to fill the cookies
White sanding sugar as needed

Special Equipment: a 4-inch champagne flute cookie cutter; 2 pastry bags; 2 round pastry tips (1/16 inch)

For the sugar cookie dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, beat together the vanilla and egg.
Using an electric mixer on low speed, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Once combined, increase speed to medium and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is slightly creamy, scraping the bowl as necessary.
Slow the mixer speed to low, then slowly add the egg mixture, beating until combined. Incorporate the flour mixture in three additions; as the dough thickens, increase speed to keep the beaters moving. Scrape the bowl and beaters regularly. When all the flour is mixed in, beat on medium-high speed until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a surface and bring it together into a square. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
To prepare for rolling and baking: Set oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Flour your work surface generously, then roll out the dough into a square slightly thicker than 1/8 inch. Use the 4-inch champagne flute cutter to cut about 30 cookies, re-rolling scraps as needed. Arrange cookies evenly between baking sheets. Chill the cut cookies on the trays for about 30 minutes.
On 10 of the cookies, use a sharp paring knife to cut a 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch rectangle from the top half (the bowl part) of the flute shape.
Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown at the edges in spots, around 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on the sheets set on a rack, approximately 30 minutes.
For the royal icing: In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and meringue powder. Add vanilla and 5 tablespoons of water. Beat on medium-high with an electric mixer, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if necessary, until the icing forms thick, glossy peaks, about 2 minutes. Fill one pastry bag fitted with a 1/16-inch round tip with half of the white royal icing.
Tint the remaining royal icing with drops of gold gel food coloring to reach a rich golden shade. Thin with water 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it's the consistency of honeywhen drizzled back into the bowl, it should smooth out and blend in within 8 to 10 seconds. Fill the second pastry bag with this gold icing.
Cut a sheet of parchment into 10 strips, roughly 2 inches by 1/2 inch each. Using a fine-tip pen, write New Year's reflections on one side of each strip.
On a parchment-covered work surface, arrange the 20 cookies without cut-outs. Pipe white royal icing around each cookie's edge, following the champagne flute's outline. Fill in the stems' bottom portion and fill the top 1/4 inch of each flute shape with white icing. Complete the flute by filling the rest with gold royal icing. Add three small white dots on the top left or right side of the gold icing to mimic bubbles. Let dry for 3 to 4 hours.
Once dry, write "Pop Me Open!" with the black food color marker on the gold sections of 10 cookies. Set aside.
Turn the other 10 decorated cookies so the icing faces down. Pipe white royal icing around their edges. Place the cookies with hollow centers onto these iced backs, aligning edges closely. Fill the hollow part with the white and gold sprinkles. Pipe icing around the edges of the hollow cookies again. Roll the New Year's notes so the writing is inside, preventing ink contact with cookies, and insert one note into each hollow cookie. Top with the "Pop Me Open!" decorated cookies, decorated side up, aligning edges carefully. This helps the cookies stand by their stems when served. Let them set completely, 2 to 3 hours.
To present: Fill a small decorative tray rimmed with white sanding sugar. Arrange the cookies standing upright in the sugar and serve at oncewatch the magic unfold as guests discover the surprises!

Cook's Note: When measuring flour, spoon it lightly into a dry measuring cup without compacting it, then level off the excess. Directly scooping flour from the bag compresses it, which can lead to dry baked results.