Crabby Cookies

Crabby Cookies

These adorable crab cookies are perfect for summer! I call this type of cookie dough “cookie playdough” because it handles just like playdough, and you can have fun making any shape with it. It doesn’t spread or cook down flat when baked, leaving a 3D effect that’s great for animal shapes and more. The cookie is delicately sweet and soft-textured. I like to pair them with anything from coarse or powdered sugar to a glaze. For these crabbies, I dipped them in a lemon glaze to give them that hardened, glossy shell.

Crabby Cookies
makes: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• red gel food coloring

Lemon Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• red gel food coloring
• black round sprinkles for the eyes

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar on high until a frosting texture forms. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until combined. Add the red food gel coloring a few drops at a time until a rich red color appears when mixed. Add the flour and salt and mix on low until a dough comes together.
2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. While the dough is chilling, prepare two aluminum baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
4. To shape the dough, pinch off 1″ sized chunks of dough for the crab bodies and roll between your hands to form a ball. Repeat for 24 total dough balls. Arrange 6 per baking sheet. For the claws, pinch off 1/4″ sized chunks of dough and roll into smaller balls. Place on the top sides of the bigger dough balls to form a Mickey Mouse shape. Using the palm of your hand, gently press the Mickey Mouse down to fuse the three balls together and flatten the shape. Be careful not to flatten too much, or you’ll lose the 3D crab shape. To finish the claws, use the corner of a square cookie cutter (or a knife) to cut off the claw indents.
5. Bake each tray for 8 minutes and let cool completely at room temperature before glazing.
6. Mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until a smooth glaze forms. Dip the crab cookies one at a time upside down in the glaze to coat the tops and let them dry on a drying rack.
7. Finally, add the sprinkles for the eyes and let the glaze dry at room temperature to harden.

Crabby Cookies

Simple almond sugar cookies that are crab shaped covered in a lemon glaze. Easy sugar cookie recipe that handles like playdough. Fun for kids in the kitchen!

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Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  

Cookie Dough Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• red gel food coloring

Lemon Glaze Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• red gel food coloring
• black round sprinkles for the eyes

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar on high until a frosting texture forms. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until combined. Add the red food gel coloring a few drops at a time until a rich red color appears when mixed. Add the flour and salt and mix on low until a dough comes together.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. While the dough is chilling, prepare two aluminum baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To shape the dough, pinch off 1" sized chunks of dough for the crab bodies and roll between your hands to form a ball. Repeat for 24 total dough balls. Arrange 6 per baking sheet. For the claws, pinch off 1/4" sized chunks of dough and roll into smaller balls. Place on the top sides of the bigger dough balls to form a Mickey Mouse shape. Using the palm of your hand, gently press the Mickey Mouse down to fuse the three balls together and flatten the shape. Be careful not to flatten too much, or you'll lose the 3D crab shape. To finish the claws, use the corner of a square cookie cutter (or a knife) to cut off the claw indents.
• Bake each tray for 8 minutes and let cool completely at room temperature before glazing.
• Mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until a smooth glaze forms. Dip the crab cookies one at a time upside down in the glaze to coat the tops and let them dry on a drying rack.
• Finally, add the sprinkles for the eyes and let the glaze dry at room temperature to harden.