Easy Checkerboard Holiday Cookies Recipe (Christmas)
Serves 4
15 mins prep
15 mins cook
120 mins Resting Time
150 mins total
Matcha and strawberry intertwine with vanilla in these checkerboard holiday sugar cookies.
Cookie Dough
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Do ahead
The dough can be made the day before. Keep it in the refrigerator until needed.
Make the dough
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with hand beaters for 3 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and sift in the powdered sugar. Beat for 2 minutes to cream together.
Add eggs, egg yolks and vanilla, beating to combine.
Add the dry ingredients and beat just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.
Divide the dough
Divide the dough into four equal portions. I used a kitchen scale to measure the full amount of dough and divided it by four, but you do not have to be this exact.
Form two of the portions into a rectangle and wrap (separately) in plastic. Take the other two portions and place them in separate bowls.
Flavor the dough
Sift matcha powder onto one of the portions. Mix in the matcha with a rubber spatula or your hands.
Sift freeze-dried strawberry powder into the other portion. Mix it in with a rubber spatula. Add in red food coloring, if desired. I mixed in the food coloring with my hands (with gloves on) to make it easier.
Form the matcha and strawberry doughs into separate rectangles and wrap in plastic. Place all wrapped dough into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or overnight.
Roll out the dough
Flour a clean work surface or use two sheets of parchment paper to roll out the dough with the following instructions: using two ½-inch tall levelers, roll out each dough with a rolling pin into 5x8 rectangles that are ½-inch thick.
Slice into ½-inch strips. Brush away excess flour with a pastry brush, if you used flour to roll out.
Assemble the checkerboard pattern
Using the reserved egg whites, use a pastry brush to swipe a bit of the egg white on the sides of a vanilla dough strip. Sandwich this vanilla strip in between two matcha strips.
Brush the top of this trio with more egg white “glue”.
Sandwich a matcha strip in between two vanilla strips. Place this trio on top of the first one. Brush the top of the trio with the glue.
Repeat the first trio and place it on top of the second one.
Repeat with the rest of the doughs to prepare a matcha and vanilla checkerboard log and a strawberry vanilla checkerboard log.
Wrap each log tightly in plastic, gently pressing the strips together to minimize any air pockets, without ruining the shape.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes.
Prepare to bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut each log into ½-inch thick slices with a sharp knife. Place cookies 2-inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
