• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Make Butter Cookie Dough

• Cream butter and sugar: Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat together until incorporated, about 1 minute.
  ½ cup white sugar, pinch of salt, 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Add flour: Next, sift the cake flour and add it in three parts, mixing after each time until it's fully incorporated. The dough will be thick and sticky. Be careful not to over-mix the dough as you want to minimize gluten development. Note: if the dough feels too thick to pipe, add in a few drops of milk.
  1 ⅔ cup cake flour
  

Pipe Cookie Shapes

• Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip for easier piping. I use Ateco piping tips. I recommend Ateco 846 or Ateco 844. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Pipe 2-inch cookies in rosettes, straight lines, or any preferred shape. 

  Note: If you have difficulty piping, gently knead the dough in the piping bag with your hands to soften and warm it up.
  

Bake

• Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Let them completely cool before dipping in chocolate.
  

Decorate

• Make the ganache: Break the chocolate bar into small pieces and add them to a microwave-safe bowl with the heavy cream. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each time. When the chocolate pieces are mostly melted, keep stirring until you have a silky, smooth chocolate ganache. Makes ¾ cup of chocolate ganache.
  4 oz bittersweet chocolate bar, ½ cup heavy cream 
  
• Dip each cookie into the ganache and lay it flat on parchment paper. Add sprinkles before the chocolate sets. Otherwise, decorate with Christmas cookie icing. Enjoy!
  Christmas sprinkles