Description
These adorable Penguin Slice-and-Bake Cookies combine buttery vanilla dough with colorful accents that form a perfect penguin face in every slice. A fun, festive treat ideal for holiday baking or creative kitchen projects with kids.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour: provides structure and balance
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder: helps cookies rise lightly
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt: enhances sweetness and balances flavor
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature: adds richness and texture
- 2/3 cup sugar: sweetens and helps with browning
- 1 large egg, plus 1 egg beaten for egg wash: binds dough and provides shine
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract: adds aroma and depth
- Orange gel food coloring: colors beak and feet
- Black gel food coloring: colors penguin body
- 1/4 cup (3 ounces) red melting wafers: for hats
- 12 mini marshmallows, halved crosswise: for hat pom-poms
- 1/4 cup (3 ounces) white melting wafers: for detailing
- 48 mini chocolate chips: for penguin eyes
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Beat in 1 egg and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Set aside 1/4 cup dough. Add orange coloring to the dough in the bowl and mix until evenly colored. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Clean the bowl and paddle, add 3/4 cup of uncolored dough, and mix with black food coloring. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Shape remaining uncolored dough into a 9–10 inch log. Slice lengthwise, add an orange rope as the beak, and seal back together.
- Roll black dough into a 9×6 inch rectangle, wrap around the log, pressing gently to adhere.
- Attach orange ropes at the base as feet, wrap and shape into an egg-like cylinder. Freeze for 2 hours until solid.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice log into 1/4-inch cookies. Arrange on sheets 1 1/2 inches apart and bake 10–12 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Cool 10 minutes on sheet, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
- Melt red wafers, dip cookie tops for hats, and attach marshmallows for pom-poms. Let set 15 minutes.
- Melt white wafers, pipe hat trim and attach chocolate chip eyes. Let harden before serving.
Notes
- Chill dough often to maintain defined shapes during assembly.
- Use gel-based coloring for vibrant results without excess liquid.
- Freeze dough logs up to two months for easy slice-and-bake convenience.
- Store baked cookies in airtight containers for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Penguin Slice-and-Bake Cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, cute cookies, slice-and-bake recipe, Food Network cookie recipe