Makes 8 cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 extra-large egg
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix by hand until just fully combined.
• Divide dough into 8 roughly equal pieces, then divide each piece into (approximately) a 2-inch round ball, two 1-inch round balls, two 1/2-inch round balls, one gumball-size ball, and one pea-size ball. Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheets with ample spacing, keeping in mind that each will flatten and about double in diameter. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Edible dusting powder, in silver and black
A few tablespoons vodka or bourbon
Red food coloring
• Building centered stacks, use royal icing to glue one medium-size and one small cookie onto both sides of each large cookie. Then glue a gumball-size cookie on one side and a pea-size cookie on the other side of each.
• Arrange 8 narrow-mouthed glasses on parchment on a work surface. Once the royal icing has fully set and all your cookies are in their UFO shapes, place one on top of each glass, gumball-size cookie up. Pour slightly watered-down royal icing over tops to create smooth spaceship tops. Let dry.
• Once the saucers are completely dry, about 1 hour (the icing should be hard to the touch), you can paint them. To make edible paints, mix 1/2 teaspoon edible dusting powder with 1 tablespoon vodka or bourbon. Pipe red lights underneath with red-tinted royal icing.
