Best Puzzle Cookie Recipes

PUZZLE COOKIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper. Beat to combine. Add eggs, and beat to combine, then beat in molasses. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture, and beat to combine. Divide dough in half, and shape into flattened disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats. Generously flour a large piece of parchment, and roll one piece of dough out on the parchment into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, about 14 by 10 inches. Transfer to the freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Repeat rolling and chilling process with the remaining piece of dough.
• Remove one piece of dough from freezer. Using a large owl cookie cutter or our template, cut out a cookie and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Using a 3/4-inch cookie cutter cut out eyes from scraps. Using the small end of a 1/2-inch round pastry tip, cut out center of each eye, creating rings. Place on cookie. Return cookie to freezer to chill, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. The scraps can be rerolled once.
• Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut cookies into desired puzzle shapes. Leaving intact, transfer baking sheets to wire racks until cool.
• Divide royal icing among four bowls, and tint one batch black, one yellow, and one blue; leave one white. Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing using the #1, #3, and #4 round Ateco tips. Separate the puzzle pieces once the cookies are decorated, but before the icing hardens.

SANTA'S COMING COOKIE PUZZLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cookie dough and flour. On a parchment paper-lined surface, roll dough into a 14x11-in. rectangle. With cookie cutters, cut out puzzle shapes. Slide a baking sheet under the parchment paper and dough. Chill for 5-10 minutes. , Remove shapes; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Place an almond on its side into the center of each shape for a handle. Bake shapes at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until edges are golden brown. While still warm, recut shapes with the same cookie cutters to form neat edges. (If cookies cool too quickly, return to oven until softened.) Remove to wire racks; cool. , Bake large rectangular puzzle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 12-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately recut the shapes inside the puzzle to form neat edges. Cool completely on a wire rack. , In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Tint frosting with food coloring as desired. Frost puzzle and shapes; decorate with decorating gel and sprinkles as desired. Place puzzle shapes inside puzzle.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT COOKIE PUZZLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cookie dough and flour. On a parchment-lined surface, roll dough into a 14x11-in. rectangle. With Halloween cookie cutters, cut out puzzle shapes but do not remove them. Slide a baking sheet under the parchment and dough. Chill for 5-10 minutes. , Remove shapes; place on an ungreased baking sheet. For handles, press the side of an almond into the center of each puzzle shape. Bake shapes at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until edges are golden brown. While still warm, recut shapes with the same cookie cutters to form neat edges. (If cookies cool too quickly, return to oven until softened.) Remove to wire racks; cool. , Bake large rectangular puzzle on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 12-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately recut the shapes inside the puzzle to form neat edges. Cool completely on a wire rack. , In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup and water until smooth. Tint frosting with food coloring as desired. Frost puzzle and shapes; decorate with decorating gel, sprinkles and candies as desired. Place puzzle shapes inside puzzle.

LOVE HEART COOKIE PUZZLE

Steps:

• For the cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C/350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat again for 1 minute to combine, scraping down the bowl to ensure all of the butter mixture is incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients in 3 parts and mix until combined.
• Scrape the dough onto a work surface and slightly wet your hands. Knead the dough into a smooth disc and place between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Roll the dough out until it is 1/4 inch thick.
• Remove the parchment paper and use a heart puzzle cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes. If you do not have a heart puzzle cookie cutter, use a normal heart cookie cutter, then cut the heart down the middle with a knife to create a left and right side. Lift the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until they are just slightly golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• For the icing: Add 1 cup of the royal icing mix to one bowl and the remaining 1/2 cup to a second bowl. In the first bowl with 1 cup of icing mix, create the flooding consistency royal icing. Add a drop of red food gel to the bowl and then, starting with 1 teaspoon of water, stir the mixture together with a spoon. Keep adding water to the bowl 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches the flooding consistency--when you drag a line through the icing mixture with a spoon, the line should disappear within 5 to 10 seconds. If the line disappears earlier, your mixture is too runny and you need to add a few tablespoons of royal icing mix to thicken the icing to the right consistency. If the line takes longer than 10 seconds to disappear, then your mixture is still too thick and you need to keep adding water 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you have the correct consistency. Once you have your red flooding icing, place a damp kitchen towel over the top of the bowl to stop it from drying out.
• In the remaining bowl, create the soft peak-consistency royal icing. Again, adding just 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time, stir the mixture together until it reaches a soft peak stage--when you lift the spoon out of the bowl and hold it in the air, the icing forms a soft peak on the end of the spoon. If the mixture is too runny and the icing falls off the end of the spoon, add more royal icing mix. If the mixture is too stiff, just add water 1/4 teaspoon at a time and mix together until it reaches soft peak consistency. Once you have the correct consistency, transfer about 2 tablespoons of the white soft peak icing to another bowl. Add red food gel coloring to the remaining mixture and stir to combine. If you would like to flavor any of the royal icing, add 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite extract, such as vanilla.
• Transfer the royal icing mixtures into separate piping bags fitted with number 2 round tip nozzles. Cover the ends of the piping nozzles with a damp tea towel at all times to stop them from drying out.
• With a cooled cookie in front of you, pipe a border of red soft peak royal icing around the edge of the cookie. Apply even pressure with your hand, and squeeze a thin line of icing along the outside of the cookie, joining the icing up at the end. Repeat on all of the cookies.
• Next, you need to flood the cookies. Pipe the red flooding royal icing inside the border you just created on each cookie, filling up the center of the cookies with icing. Use the piping nozzle to squeeze the icing into the edges to ensure each cookie is covered entirely. Allow to set for 10 minutes.
• Using the white soft peak royal icing, apply even pressure with your hand and decorate the center of each cookies with names, initials or messages. The cookies should be eaten the same day for the best taste.

COLOR WHEEL COOKIE PUZZLE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Make the shortbread cookie dough according to the recipe instructions.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ½-inch thick and cut out a 9-inch circle. Cut the circle into quarters, then cut the quarters into thirds for 12 triangular pieces. Gently transfer the pieces to the prepared baking sheet. Use the dough scraps to make smaller cookies, or roll into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container for 2-4 weeks.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until light golden around the edges.
• Make the royal icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add the vanilla and water and whisk until smooth.
• Divide the icing evenly between 12 small bowls. Color each bowl of icing: 4 drops red for red, 1 drop red and 4 drops orange for red-orange, 4 drops orange for orange, 1 drop orange and 4 drops yellow for orange-yellow, 4 drops yellow for yellow, 2 drops yellow and 2 drops green for yellow-green, 4 drops green for green, 3 drops green and 1 drop blue for blue-green, 4 drops blue for blue, 3 drops blue and 3 drops deep-violet for blue-violet, 4 drops violet for violet, 4 drops deep-violet and 3 drops red for red-violet. Mix well until evenly colored. Immediately transfer the icing to piping bags or cover with plastic wrap and prevent a skin from forming.
• Decorate the puzzle pieces: Cut a small opening in the tip of a piping bag. Outline the outer edge of a cookie, then fill in the center, using a toothpick or cake tester to make sure the surface is fully covered and pop any air bubbles. Repeat with the remaining cookies and icings in rainbow color order. Let the icing set for at least 3-4 hours, up to overnight.
• Arrange the cookies as a color wheel, then serve.
• Enjoy!

SPRING GARDEN COOKIE PUZZLE

Steps:

• Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until blended. On a parchment paper-lined surface, roll dough into a 14x11-in. rectangle. With cookie cutters, cut out puzzle shapes. Slide a baking sheet under the parchment paper and dough. Chill 10 minutes., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Remove shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Place an almond on its side into the center of each shape for a handle. Bake shapes 7-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. While still warm, recut shapes with the same cookie cutters to form neat edges. (If cookies cool too quickly, warm in oven to soften.) Remove to wire racks; cool completely., Bake large rectangular puzzle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet 12-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately recut the shapes inside the puzzle to form neat edges. Cool completely on a wire rack., In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Frost puzzle and shapes with some of the frosting; decorate with sugars. Tint remaining frosting; pipe as desired. Place puzzle shapes inside puzzle.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL COOKIE PUZZLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for several hours, overnight or until dough is easy to handle. , On a parchment-lined surface, roll out half of the dough into a 13x11-in. rectangle. With cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Remove shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Set the two large rectangle pieces aside. , Separate the remaining eggs, placing 1 yolk each in 3 small bowls. Tint one red, one blue and one green. , With an appropriate-size paintbrush and black food coloring, outline the school roof, windows and door and the apple leaf and stem. Paint the cookie cutouts with tinted yolks to resemble the cookies shown in the photo or as desired. , Bake cutouts at 350° for 8-9 minutes or until edges are golden. Immediately recut the shapes. If cookies cool too quickly, return to oven until softened. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a small bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Brush over the 2 large rectangular puzzles. (Discard any remaining egg white.) Sprinkle with yellow colored sugar. Transfer puzzles with parchment to baking sheets., Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately recut shapes inside puzzles. Cool completely before removing from paper. Place each puzzle on a covered board. Fit cookie cutouts inside puzzles.