Creating adorable and unique treats for a special occasion doesn’t have to be a culinary marathon. If you’re looking for a way to make fun, patterned cookies without the intricate decorating, this recipe for Calico Cat and Dalmatian cookies is your answer. Perfect for birthday parties or just a creative baking session, these cookies utilize a clever dough technique that lets the dough itself create the colorful patterns. Get ready to impress with minimal frosting fuss!
This recipe offers a delightful sugar cookie base, known for its crisp texture and subtle almond flavor that melts in your mouth. The real magic, however, lies in the simple yet effective method of coloring and combining dough portions to achieve eye-catching calico and dalmatian designs. Once baked, a few strategically placed candy eyes and noses are all that’s needed to bring these charming characters to life.
What You Need
This recipe yields approximately 36 cookies.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Orange, brown, and black food coloring
- 1 additional cup of sugar for dipping the glass
For decorating faces:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips or vanilla candy melts
- Pink candy melts
- Black candy melts
- Black decorator candy balls
- Black food coloring marker (for whiskers)
How-To
Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and oil until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, and flour. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Color the Dough: Divide the dough into three portions: one larger portion and two smaller portions. Add orange and brown food coloring to one of the smaller dough parts and mix thoroughly until the color is uniform. Add black food coloring to the other small dough part and mix well. Leave the largest dough portion uncolored (this will be the base white dough).
Chill the Dough: Cover each portion of dough separately and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Chilling the dough makes it easier to handle and prevents it from spreading too much during baking.
Calico cat cookie dough preparationShape the Calico Cats: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the chilled white dough and roll it into 1-1/2 inch balls. To create the calico pattern, press small pieces of the orange-brown and black doughs onto the exterior of the white dough balls. Gently roll the balls again with your hands to integrate the colors slightly, then place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
Flatten and Bake: Press the dough balls flat using the bottom of a drinking glass. Dip the glass in granulated sugar each time before pressing to prevent sticking and add a subtle sparkle. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Form Cat Ears: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, while they are still warm, use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to make a small cut at the top of each cookie. This creates the characteristic indent for the cat’s ears.
Dalmatian and Calico cookie doughShape the Dalmatians: For the dalmatian cookies, use the same technique of rolling white dough balls and adding small bits of black dough to the exterior. To achieve the dog-like shape, add some elongated, tear-drop shapes of dough to the sides for the ears. Press the dough balls flat with a sugar-dipped glass and bake for 12 minutes.
Dough shapes for dalmatian cookiesDecorate the Faces:
- For Calico Cats: Melt the white chocolate chips or vanilla candy melts in the microwave. Pour the melted mixture into a small squeeze bottle. Squeeze small white circles onto the cookies for the eyes. Attach black candy eyeballs. Cut tiny hearts from the pink candy melts for the cat noses and secure them with the melted white chocolate. If desired, use the black food coloring marker to draw on whiskers.
- For Dalmatians: Attach two black candy melt circles for the eyes. Squeeze circles of melted white chocolate and then place black candy balls on top for the pupils. Cut tiny hearts from the black candy melts for the dog noses and attach them with the melted white chocolate.
Decorating the cookie faces
Dalmatian and Calico cookie dough
Dough shapes for dalmatian cookies
Decorating the cookie facesEnjoy your homemade, no-fuss Calico Cat and Dalmatian cookies! They’re a perfect example of how creative dough manipulation can lead to impressive results with simple decorating.
