Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- First, prepare your champagne reduction. Pour 1 ½ cups of champagne into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until reduced to ¼-⅓ cup (60-80ml). This will take about 10-15 minutes. Pour the reduced champagne into a heatproof container and let it cool completely.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until well-creamed. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the all-purpose flour until just incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically. The dough will be dry and may require some stirring to come together. Avoid over-mixing.
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface and form it into a 1-inch thick disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350F (175C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick. If the dough is sticky, chill it longer or add a little more flour. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cut cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and 2-3 tablespoons of the reduced champagne. Add more reduced champagne, a little at a time, until the icing reaches a ribbon consistency – it should fall from the whisk in a ribbon and hold its shape for a few seconds before dissolving back into the bowl.
- Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the champagne icing. Return the cookie to the cooling rack and immediately decorate with sprinkles or colored sugar. Allow the icing to harden completely, which typically takes 1-3 hours.
Nutrition
Notes
If the dough is difficult to roll after chilling for longer than an hour, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes until it rolls without cracking. If you do not have parchment paper, you can bake the cookies directly on an ungreased baking sheet. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.