These adorable bite-size Grinch-colored cookies make the case for gifting yourself a cookie press this year. The tool, if you’ve never seen one, is reminiscent of a Play-Doh extruder, with a tube for stuffing with dough and a few different shaped discs for sliding in at the end. Stamping out intricate, identical treats couldn’t be easier. I love using the wreath shape for the holiday season, and dye my dough a verdant hue using ceremonial grade matcha (other styles of matcha will work as well, but may need an assist from a drop or two of food coloring). Matcha’s delicate, grassy flavor plays so nicely with all the butter and vanilla in the dough, making the final cookies taste a bit like a matcha latte. If you don’t have a cookie press, no worries. Scroll down for instructions to bake these cookies without; they’ll end up looking like a marbled, green and white version of these.
Ingredients
Makes about 6 dozen
2¼
½
1
¾
3
1
2½
⅓
Preparation
-
Step 1
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Whisk 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, and ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then beat in 3 large egg yolks and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients in 2 additions, beating on medium speed after each to incorporate. Scoop half of dough into another medium bowl; set aside. Mix 2½ tsp. matcha into remaining dough, then add green food coloring if needed to reach desired hue (depending on your matcha, you might need a few drops or none at all).
Step 2
If using a cookie press, fill with dough, alternating between small scoops of plain dough and matcha dough (this will give your cookies a marbled effect); fit cookie press with wreath disk. Stamp cookies out to fill 2 unlined baking sheets, spacing about 1″ apart and refilling press if needed. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until barely golden at the edges, 7–9 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes (cookies will be very delicate while hot but will firm as they cool). Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, placing on a cool baking sheet and baking on upper rack.
Step 3
If not using a cookie press, place a large sheet of parchment paper on a surface. Dollop alternating scoops of plain dough and matcha dough in a line across parchment (this will give your cookies a marbled effect), then tightly press dough into an 8×1½” cylinder, using parchment to help you, and wrap log in plastic. Chill until very firm, about 1 hour. Cut log into ¼”-thick slices and divide cookies between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1″ apart. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until barely golden at the edges, 14–16 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool.
Step 4
Meanwhile, melt ⅓ cup white chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), stirring occasionally, or melt in a microwave-safe bowl in a microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring to combine between bursts. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag, seal, and cut end off a corner to make a very small opening. Pipe ribbons onto cookies or decorate as desired.
Do Ahead: Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
