Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Small chocolate candies or chocolate chips (for the surprise center)
- Food coloring (optional, for house-specific decorating)
- Royal icing or melted chocolate (for decorating)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until a soft dough forms. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Take small portions of dough and flatten into disks. Place a small chocolate candy or chip in the center of each disk. Cover with another piece of dough, sealing the edges completely. Shape into desired forms, resembling a hat or whimsical shape.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place shaped dough on the sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden at edges. Cool completely on wire rack before decorating.
- Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing or melted chocolate to draw hat features, stitches, or add house colors. Personalize designs for each house using food coloring.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, keep in the refrigerator up to a week or freeze for up to a month.
- Avoid stacking cookies directly without parchment paper to prevent sticking and preserve decorations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 Kcal
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg