These sweet little Easter chicks cookies couldn’t be simpler, and they’re inspired by the queen of cookie-making herself, Cheryl. If you’ve never tried one of Cheryl’s famous cut-outs, add it to your bucket list. The soft sugar cookies are covered with rich buttercream frosting, and they’re like nothing else I’ve ever tasted.
I was first introduced to Cheryl’s Cookies when I worked for a company that received them as corporate gifts. Every year around Christmastime, the break room table would overflow with these delicious confections. There were chocolate chip cookies, brownies and shortbreads, but the buttercream frosted cut-outs stood above the rest. Biting into one of those little wonders was (and is) like a taste of heaven. Simply divine.
My adoration of these cookies may sound like an exaggeration, but I assure you it is not. Case in point: A couple years ago we had Easter dinner at a banquet center. During one of several trips to the buffet, I spotted two individually wrapped Cheryl’s cookies, seemingly abandoned on a neighboring table. I couldn’t believe that anyone would leave these treasures behind, so I wondered if maybe the rightful owners were just getting another plate of food. I kept a close eye on that table, and when no one returned, I resolved to make those cookies mine. Never mind the fancy dessert spread offered with the buffet.
I knew I’d have to act fast before the table was cleared and the cookies ended up in the trash. (That would be a real travesty!) But I’m not without pride, and I worried what people would think if they noticed me picking through someone else’s leftovers. I thought it through and realized there was only one option: I’d have to recruit my husband to do my dirty work.
That Easter I went home two cookies richer.
We’re on Cheryl’s mailing list because Joe buys me a tin of cookies on special occasions now and then. When I saw the spring catalog, I knew I’d have to make my own version of their adorable Easter chicks cut-outs. They’re incredibly simple: just an egg-shaped cookie with yellow frosting, diamond-shaped beak and candy eyes.
If you’re scanning this post for a recipe, you can stop right here. I’m not sharing a recipe, because Cheryl’s cookies cannot be duplicated. I’ve tried the copycats, and they don’t do justice to the real thing. If you want to make your cookies in the style of Cheryl’s, just use your favorite sugar cookie and buttercream recipes, and follow these tips:
- Don’t roll the dough too thin. It should be at least 1/4- to 3/8-inch thick.
- Bake just until set, not brown. If your cookies don’t quite look done, they’re probably perfect. Keep in mind they will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Pile the frosting on thick!
For the Easter chicks, I found it best to decorate each one from start to finish rather than doing the whole batch in stages. When applying the yellow frosting base, try not to get hung up on how smooth it spreads. I’ll admit this is a struggle for me and my Type A tendencies, but even Cheryl’s are somewhat irregular. For the beaks, I mixed a small amount of orange frosting and used a squeeze bottle to draw a diamond shape. Then I placed a candy eyeball on either side. That’s it! Display them in an egg carton for added charm.
Do you share my affinity for Cheryl’s Cookies? Let me know in the comments below!