Piñata Cookies

These adorable cookies from Sally’s Cookie Addiction are perfect for a celebration!

I’m slightly addicted to serving piñata-inspired treats. I have a piñata cake recipe on my blog, as well as piñata cupcakes. When cutting or biting into either, you experience a wave of sprinkles and tiny candies hiding inside. It was only a matter of time before a cookie version exploded into our lives! Making these cookies isn’t all that tricky. Each cookie stack is composed of four cookies, with sweet royal icing acting as the “glue.” The two middle cookies have secret holes in which the sprinkles are hidden. The best part is watching someone take that first bite!

PREP TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 4 hours 10 minutes

96 cookies or 24 cookie stacks

4. cups (540 g) all-purpose flour, plus more if needed for dough and for rolling out

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks, or 360 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract (yes, 1 full tablespoon!)

Traditional Royal Icing (below)

1/2 cup (80 g) sprinkles and/or tiny candies, plus more for topping

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. If the dough seems too soft, you can add 1 tablespoon (8 g) more flour to make it a better consistency for rolling.

4. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat (I prefer a nonstick silicone mat) to about . inch (6 mm) thickness. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly . inch (6 mm) thick.

5. Stack the 2 slabs of dough, with a piece of parchment paper between them, on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days). If chilling for more than 2 hours, cover the  top slab of dough with a single piece of parchment paper.

6. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

7. Remove one of the slabs of dough slabs from the refrigerator and, using a 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter,cut into circles. Reroll the remaining slab and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with second slab of dough. You should have about 96 circles.

9. Frost each cooled cookie cup as desired. I used a Wilton R #12 piping tip to decorate my cookies. Decorate with sprinkles.

10. Frosted cookie cups will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Prepare the cookie dough through step 4. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 days before continuing with step 5. Unfrosted cookie cups will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

This is, hands down, my favorite icing for decorating sugar cookies! It dries within a couple hours.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes YIELD: 2½ cups

4 cups (480 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more if needed

3 tablespoons (30 g) meringue powder