Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

Candy corn has always been a little bit of a struggle for me. I think it’s so cute and Fall-ish, and I’d love to have a cute little bowl of it sitting on my counter during October, but I really, really hate how it tastes. However, I’m happy to report I’ve found the solution to the candy corn problem – candy corn cookies!!

This is a pretty easy recipe. It’s perfect for baking with kids, and it makes adorable little cookies to serve at a Halloween party!

{Recipe adapted from Kaitlin in the Kitchen}

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

3 cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

red food coloring

yellow food coloring

extra white sugar for coating

Directions:

1. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until well-mixed.

2. Add egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat until mixed.

3. Add baking soda and flour, one cup at a time. Mix until combined.

4. Divide dough into three even pieces. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly-greased plastic wrap. Press one piece of dough evenly into the bottom of the lined loaf pan.

5. Put each of the remaining two dough pieces in a separate bowl. Mix yellow and red food coloring with one piece to create orange dough. Press the orange dough evenly on top of the un-colored dough in the loaf pan. Mix yellow food coloring only into the third piece of dough to create yellow dough. Press the yellow dough evenly on top of the orange layer.

6. Refrigerate the dough overnight.

7. Flip the loaf pan over and empty the dough onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment paper/plastic wrap. Slice the block of dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Cut each slice into six candy-corn-shaped wedges, and place the wedges on a cookie sheet.

8. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-10 minutes.

9. Toss cookies in white sugar to coat, and cool on a wire rack.

(butter, sugar, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest)

(dough before adding flour and baking soda)

(finished dough)

(non-colored layer in the loaf pan)

(mixing 1/3 of the dough with red and yellow food coloring)

(orange layer)

(yellow layer)

(dough block, after chilling overnight)

(1/4-inch thick slices)

(cut into wedges)

(on a baking sheet)

(toss in white sugar after baking)

(sugary!)

(cool on a wire rack)

(yummy!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!