Butterfly sugar cookies

Sugar cookies (makes about 30 medium and 10 small cookies)

Ingredients
227g ( 8 ounces) butter, softened
390g (13.7 ounces) gluten free plain flour
200g (7 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tsp vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder, and set aside
2. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
3. Add the eggs and vanilla essence and whisk until combined
   
4. Add the flour mixture and whisk until you have a smooth dough
5. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave in fridge for one hour
6. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
7. Lightly dust work surface with flour
8. Roll out dough so it is about 1cm thick. Turn continually so dough does not stick to surface
9. Cut out desired shapes with a lightly floured cookie cutter
10. Transfer to baking sheets
11. Place unbaked cookies in fridge for 15 mins
12. Bake for 8-10 mins
13. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool

As I have to have a gluten-free diet, I substitute the plain flour for gluten and wheat free plain flour.

Decorating the cookies

You will need:
Roll-on icing (sugar paste)
Pale blue & pale pink food colouring paste
Rolling pin
Butterfly cutters
Small paintbrush
Sieved icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1. Lightly dust work surface with sieved icing sugar
2. Place roll-on icing onto surface and gradually add food colouring with a cocktail stick (as it is very concentrated), and knead colour in. Keep adding food colouring until you get desired colour
3. Roll out icing so it is about 5mm thick, and cut out butterfly shape using cutter
4. Lightly dampen underside of icing
5. Place on top of cookie, and with a damp brush lightly paint the top to bring back the shine

Butterfly cookie cutter

Butterfly cookie cutter set

Printed butterfly bag instructions coming soon............

Have a sweet day!