Yields: 36 mini cookies (about 2"x2")
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, room temperature: 2 blocks (272g/2 cups)
Granulated Sugar: 225g (1 cup)
Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp
Milk: 1 tsp
Large Egg: 1
All purpose flour: 450g (3 cups)
Baking Powder: 1.5 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Lemon Zest: 1/2 tsp (optional)
Method:
Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until very light and fluffy.
Add milk and the first egg in, mix well before add a second egg.
Add all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt to the creamed butter and egg mixture. Add lemon zest if desired.
Mix the dough until it comes together in a nice, smooth dough.
Form dough into a flat disc, wrap well with cling film. Let rest and chill in fridge for 2 hours.
Remove dough from fridge half an hour before using.
Color cookie dough as you wish, then divide colored dough into as many small pieces as you want.
To arrange marble effect: placing different colored pieces altogether, then press to smooth out the edges.
Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment paper and cut out maple leaf shapes. Transfer cutouts to the baking tray. (Optional: Chill them for 15 minutes before baking to reduce shrinkage)
Bake at 300F - 325F until just set and very little color change. Approximately 10-15 minutes
Good luck and have fun baking!