Q1: Why are my cookies flat and spread too much?

The most common culprits are butter that was too soft or not measuring your flour correctly. Your butter should be at a cool room temperature—soft enough to leave an indent, but not shiny or greasy. You can also try chilling your scooped dough on the baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes before you bake them, which is a foolproof trick to prevent spreading.

Q2: Can I make these ahead of time for Thanksgiving?

Yes, absolutely! The best method is to bake your cookies and make your frosting a day or two in advance. Then, you can have a fun and easy decorating party with your kids on Thanksgiving day!

Q3: Can I make this with a from-scratch sugar cookie dough?

Of course! If you have a favorite, from-scratch sugar cookie recipe that you love, you can absolutely use that as your base instead of the boxed mix. Just be sure it is a sturdy dough that is good for rolling and shaping.

Q4: Can I use a different kind of frosting?

Yes! A classic cream cheese frosting or even a good-quality, store-bought vanilla frosting would also be delicious alternatives.

Q5: What if I can't find Bugles®?

The conical shape of Bugles® is truly perfect for this recipe! If you absolutely can't find them, you could try using the very tip of a small sugar ice cream cone, carefully broken off, as a substitute.

Thanksgiving Cornucopia Cookies

Thanksgiving Cornucopia Cookies (A Fun & Easy Holiday Treat!)

A festive and fun recipe for ‘Thanksgiving Cornucopia Cookies,’ a perfect themed treat for a holiday gathering. This dessert features a soft, from-scratch sugar cookie base flavored with nutmeg. The baked and cooled cookies are topped with a simple, homemade buttercream frosting. The ‘cornucopia’ decoration is cleverly created using a Bugle corn snack, which is placed on the frosted cookie, with a mixture of chocolate chips and fall-themed sprinkles arranged to look like they are spilling out.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 to 2 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
For the Decorations:
24 horn-shaped corn snacks (e.g., Bugles)
Mix of semisweet chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips
Fall-themed sprinkles

Instructions

Make the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and nutmeg with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients until just combined.
Using a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop level scoops of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently roll each into a ball and flatten it into a round about 1/3-inch thick.
Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 11 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Frosting and Decorate: In a stand mixer, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt on low speed, then increase to medium-high and beat for about 3 minutes until light and smooth. Add milk as needed if the frosting is too stiff.
Spread about 2 teaspoons of frosting on top of each cooled cookie.
Place a Bugle corn snack off-center on each cookie to look like a cornucopia. Arrange the chips and sprinkles so they appear to be spilling out of the opening.

Notes

This is a creative and festive way to decorate sugar cookies for a Thanksgiving celebration.
Baking the cookies one sheet at a time helps to ensure they bake evenly.
The cookies must be cooled completely before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
Using a cookie scoop is a helpful tip for creating uniformly sized cookies.
The article references a ‘Cook’s Note’ that is not provided in the text.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/thanksgiving-cornucopia-cookies/