Celebrating this year’s National Cookie Day,Jam City, a Los Angeles-based mobile game developer, announced that social media superstar, Justine Ezarik (aka iJustine), is the winner of its first annual Holiday Cookie Jam contest.
Holiday Cookie Jam pitted iJustine against her sister and fellow social media influencer, Jenna Ezarik, in a cookie recipe contest, with the winning recipe featured in Jam City’s hit mobile game, Cookie Jam, for the entire month of December. With more than 10,000 fans voting on Facebook of fans voting on Facebook, iJustine’s mouthwatering rainbow cookies, which mimic the game’s trademark rainbow cake power-up, triumphed over Jenna’s delicious peppermint thumbprint cookies.
“National Cookie Day is celebrated around the world by getting together to bake and eat cookies, and Holiday Cookie Jam extends this experience to mobile players with a friendly confectionery competition,” said Josh Brooks, SVP of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Jam City. “Our players have spoken, and we congratulate iJustine on her sweet victory. Everyone can be a winner, as iJustine’s recipe will be available in Cookie Jam all month so fans can make their own rainbow cookies at home for the perfect holiday treat.”
“I’m so excited that Cookie Jam fans chose my rainbow cookies as their favorite holiday cookie!” said Justine Ezarik. “I’ve been having so much fun playing the game and could not be more excited to have my recipe featured!”
BACKGROUND ON NATIONAL COOKIE DAY:
The History of Cookie Day (December 4th)
In 1987, Matt Nader of the San Francisco-based Blue Chip Cookie Company created Cookie Day. This fun and sweet holiday was also championed by Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. Since then, word traveled around the globe that there was much tasty fun to be had on December 4th, and people from many countries now celebrate Cookie Day by getting together and baking (and eating) cookies. In fact, a number of Cookie Day variations such as Oatmeal Cookie Day and Bake Cookie Day are also celebrated around the world.
VIEW THE WINNING RECIPE:
JUSTINE’S RECIPE
Temperature:
Preheat to 350 degrees / Bake for 15-22 minutes
Ingredients:
Cookie
1 Cup unsalted butter
1 Cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all purpose flour
Rainbow food dye
Egg white (for egg wash)
Icing
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temp
3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions:
Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use baking spray or parchment paper to line baking sheet
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder
In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.
Divide dough into different small bowls (as many as you would like colors)
Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl and mix
Roll the dough into small balls. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 inch apart
Bake 8-10 minutes in the oven, or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool.
When completed cooled, put icing on one cookie bottom and top with another cookie.
Icing:
Whisk together room temperate butter, confectioner’s sugar, and salt
Gradually add cocoa powder, heavy cream/milk and vanilla extract
Place icing into bags with desired tip, decorate cookie as desired
Combine cookies into tasty Cookie Jam sandwiches, enjoy!
