Jelly Bean Sugar Cookies
Total Time
1 hour, 45 minutes
Prep Time
1 hour, 15 minutes
Cook Time
11 minutes
Rating
4.8 out of 5 stars
(16)
Ingredients
30 cookies
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 bag jelly beans
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Preparation
Step 1
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 1 minute. Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
Step 3
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be thick and a little sticky. Scoop dough (about 1 Tablespoon of dough each) and roll into balls. Place dough balls onto a large plate or lined baking sheet.
Step 4
Cover and chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours and up to 4 days.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Step 6
Arrange chilled cookie dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
Step 7
Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Press a couple jelly beans into the centers of the warm cookies. (Cooling for only 3 minutes is the magic number so the jelly beans stick!) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Step 9
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Chef's notes
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:
You can make the cookie dough, roll into balls, and chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
Special Tools:
Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
Jelly Beans:
Use your favorite variety or brand. I usually use Just Born brand, found in the seasonal section of most grocery stores. Purchase 1 standard bag. You’ll have leftovers.
Dough Chilling:
Chilling the cookie dough is imperative. These cookies are very buttery and the colder the cookie dough, the less your sugar cookies will over-spread. The cookie dough can get a little hard after 1 hour in the refrigerator, so I recommend rolling the dough into balls before chilling.
