Stitched Sugar Cookies
1 h 25 min
|
intermediate
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Think classic sugar cookies with a Frankenstein-stitched makeover: buttery, vanilla-rich, soft centers, crisp edges, and those bold patchwork colors with chocolate stitches.
Perfect for Halloween, birthday parties, cookie swaps, or bake sales, they are easy to customize with any color combo and deliver big drama without fuss.
Ingredients (30 servings)
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Ingredients for the Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.76 lb
- 1 tsp baking soda baking soda 0.17 oz
- ½ tsp baking powder baking powder 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 8 oz
- 1½ cups granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 2 tsp
Ingredients for Coloring the Dough (Divide the Dough Into 5 Equal Portions):
- ½ tsp red food coloring gel (for the red dough batch) red food coloring gel 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp green food coloring gel (for the green dough batch) green food coloring gel 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp purple food coloring gel (for the purple dough batch) purple food coloring gel 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp yellow food coloring gel (for the yellow dough batch) yellow food coloring gel 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp orange food coloring gel (for the orange dough batch) orange food coloring gel 0.08 oz
Ingredients for the Chocolate “Stitches”:
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or melting chocolate) semi-sweet chocolate chips 4 oz
- 1 tsp coconut oil (optional, for smoother melting) coconut oil 0.17 fl oz
How to Make Stitched Sugar Cookies
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Preheat and set your station
Heat oven to 350 F (175 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Set out food-safe gloves, five small bowls, and a bench scraper so you stay clean and in control.
-
Whisk the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until fully combined to prevent pockets of leavening.
-
Cream butter and sugar
In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once.
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Add egg and vanilla
Beat in the egg and vanilla on low just until smooth so you do not introduce excess air that can puff and spread the cookies.
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Bring dough together
Add the dry mix in two additions on low until a soft dough forms and no dry flour remains, stopping as soon as it comes together.
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Divide and color
Split the dough into five equal portions and place each in a small bowl.
Knead in the gel colors with a glove or spoon, starting with 1/2 teaspoon per portion and adding a touch more only if needed for vibrancy.
If any portion gets sticky from extra mixing, fold in 1 to 2 teaspoons flour to restore a soft, non-tacky feel.
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Chill for clean lines
Wrap each colored portion and chill 20 to 30 minutes so the colors set and the dough firms for sharp seams.
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Build the patchwork slab
Roll each color between parchment sheets to about 1/4 inch thick, then cut into strips and squares for a quilt effect.
Arrange the pieces on parchment so contrasting colors touch, press edges together with fingertips, and lightly roll once to bond without smearing.
Chill the assembled slab 10 minutes to lock in those seams.
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Cut shapes and chill again
Cut rounds or simple shapes with a 2 to 2 1/2 inch cutter, capturing multiple color seams in each cookie for the best stitch lines.
Place on prepared sheets with 2 inches between and chill the trays 10 minutes to minimize spread.
-
Bake
Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges look set and the surfaces are matte but not browned to keep colors bright.
Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before decorating.
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Melt chocolate for stitches
Microwave chocolate chips with coconut oil in 20 to 30 second bursts at 50 percent power, stirring between each until smooth, or use a small double boiler off the heat.
Stir in a pinch of salt to sharpen the chocolate flavor if you like.
-
Pipe the stitches
Transfer chocolate to a piping bag with a tiny round tip or a parchment cone and trace along the visible color seams.
Pipe small perpendicular dashes across the line to mimic stitches, letting the chocolate set at room temp or in the fridge for 10 minutes.
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Store like a pro
Keep cookies in an airtight glass container at room temperature up to 5 days, layering with parchment to protect the stitches.
Substitutions
- Coconut oil in chocolate -> vegetable shortening
- Swap the coconut oil with an equal amount of vegetable shortening to loosen and gloss the melted chocolate without any coconut flavor, giving the same smooth flow and clean snap when set.
- Gel food colors -> natural concentrated powders or gels
- Use beet powder for red, spirulina or matcha for green, purple sweet potato powder for purple, annatto or turmeric for yellow, and annatto plus beet for orange to keep vibrant hues while avoiding liquids that can soften the dough.
- Butter -> high-fat plant butter
- Replace unsalted butter with a 1:1 stick-style plant butter with at least 75 percent fat so the dough creams properly and bakes up tender with minimal spread and no greasy finish.
Tips
- Measure flour like a pro
- If you do not weigh, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it to avoid packing, which dulls colors and makes a tough cookie.
- Color intensely before baking
- Go a hair bolder than you want since colors mute slightly in the oven, and avoid overmixing the color so you do not warm and smear the dough.
- Create crisp seam lines
- Use strips and squares with firm, straight edges and give just one light pass with the rolling pin so the pieces bond but do not blur.
- Control spread with chill cycles
- Short chills after coloring, after assembling the slab, and after cutting keep edges sharp and protect those patchwork patterns.
- Even thickness equals even bake
- Roll between parchment with 1/4 inch guides or two identical wooden rulers so every cookie finishes at the same time and holds its shape.
- Clean, fine stitches
- Snip the tiniest opening in your piping bag and practice on parchment, then pipe along seams and cross with short dashes, reheating chocolate for 5 seconds if it thickens.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 235 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 | g |
| Total Fat | 9 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- How do I keep the colors from bleeding together?
- Chill the dough portions before assembly, press pieces together gently, roll only once to bond, and re-chill the slab before cutting so the butter stays firm and the pigments do not smear.
- My dough is crumbly after adding color, what now?
- Work in 1 to 2 teaspoons milk or water to hydrate just until it holds, or knead in a teaspoon of softened butter if it feels dry and sandy from extra mixing.
- The cookies puffed and lost their shape, what went wrong?
- Overcreaming, warm dough, or too much leavener will puff the edges, so cream only until fluffy, keep the dough cool with quick chills, and measure baking soda and baking powder level.
- My colors baked up dull, how can I fix it next time?
- Start with slightly deeper gel color, avoid browning by pulling at the first sign of set edges, and bake on light-colored pans lined with parchment on the center rack.
- No piping bag for stitches, any workaround?
- Use a zip-top bag with a pinhole corner, a parchment paper cone, or a clean squeeze bottle, and if lines get messy scrape them with a toothpick while the chocolate is soft.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies love a little personality, so add orange or lemon zest to the dough for a bright citrus perfume that plays right against the chocolate stitches.
Go seasonal with your palette like red, white, and green for winter or pastels for spring, and serve with cold milk, strong coffee, or a spiced chai for a cozy New York afternoon vibe.
More pairings:
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