RED-FRAMED MARBLE COOKIES

This is a recipe from Reynolds Kitchens. Note: You may replace red with the color of your choice or to suit your occasion.

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs +1 egg yolk, room temperature (refrigerate egg white to use for icing)
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp milk OR cream
1 cup powdered sugar + more, if needed
16-20 drops red food coloring gel
1 cup red nonpareils

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar to light. Beat in salt, extract, eggs and yolk. Add flour and beat until just blended. Transfer half the dough to a 15-by-18-inch sheet of parchment paper; top with a second sheet of parchment. Roll to 1/4-in thick.

To the remaining dough, add cocoa, cornstarch, and milk; beat until smooth. Place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll same as vanilla dough. Remove top sheets of parchment. Invert chocolate dough on top of vanilla, not necessary to be even. Remove the top sheet of parchment.

Roll doughs into a log, twist and fold over to create marbling. Re-shape into a log 15 x 2 1/2-inches. Wrap in parchment and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice log into 1/4-inch think rounds; place on parchment-lined baking sheet 1-inch apart.

Bake cookies 12-13 minutes until set but do not brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies on the parchment paper to a wire rack. Bake the remaining dough in the same manner.

Whisk the reserved egg white until foamy. Add the powdered sugar and red gel; shisk well. Roll edges of cookies in red icing then the iced edges in the nonpareils.

Place cookies on clean parchment paper to let icing set for 30 to 40 minutes.

Photo from Reynolds Kitchens