Easy Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookie Trees
These are a classic and always part of my holiday cookie baking. I change the shapes for the different holidays. I will confess to having an enormous assortment of cookie cutters. This time of year I am making trees, stars, snowmen and more. I use royal icing to frost them and an assortment of sprinkles and other candies. Royal icing is made with egg whites, powdered egg whites, actually. The advantage over say, a butter cream, is that this frosting hardens, making the cookies easy to pack and stack. You don’t need much- just a thin layer and tinting the frosting different colors is a big part of the fun. Depending on how much time you have, you can get really creative with decorating these cookies.
Easy Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 T. milk
Extra sugar for sprinkling, if desired
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Beat in milk. Heat oven to 375-degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/3- inch thickness. Cut out with lightly floured cutters and sprinkle with sugar or colored sugar if you like and if you are not going to frost them. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
Decorating your cookies:
You can use tube of pre-made frosting or you can tint canned frosting, however the best way is to use royal icing. Because royal icing contains egg whites it gets hard. Cookies have a smooth appearance and can be stacked. When making royal icing ALWAYS USE PASTUERIZED EGG WHITES OR POWDERED EGGS WHITES TO PREVENT SAMONELLA.
You can also use colored sugar and sprinkles and mini chocolate chips for eyes.
Royal Icing
1 lb. powdered sugar
½ t. cream of tartar
5¼ t. egg white powder
6 T. water
½ t. vanilla, optional
Assorted food colorings
In large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add water and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Divide into small bowls and tint each batch as needed. Keep bowl covered with a damp towel while waiting to use so frosting will not dry out.
Chocolate Butter Cookies
Chocolate Butter Cookies
These delicate little cookies are crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. They have a nice chocolate flavor and are not overly sweet. As an added bonus they are also easy to make. I tweaked another recipe and ended up with a cookie I like even better. Since I was happy with how they turned out I wanted to share the recipe with you. I rolled the cookies in demerara sugar when they were raw and then baked them. Demerara is a less refined sugar and looks like coarse brown sugar. It gave the cookies a nice sparkly appearance. You could also bake them plain and decorate with a drizzle of chocolate when cooled.
Chocolate Butter Cookies
1 c. sugar
1½ c. butter, room temp.
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
¾ c. cocoa
Combine all ingredients, except flour and cocoa, and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cocoa and blend well. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool. Makes about 5 dozen.
Decorate with drizzles of melted chocolate or frosting, powdered sugar, sprinkles (apply before baking) or whatever you have on hand. You can also bake the cookies in rounds with an indent in the middle and add a cherry later. I rolled the raw cookies in demerara sugar. It’s a less refined sugar at looks little coarse brown sugar. Gave the cookies a pretty sparkle.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
It is the time of year when a lot of people are baking cookies. I thought I would share one of my favorite cookie recipes with you. These little cookies are delicate and full of flavor. I will admit to being a big fan of shortbread cookies. These are enhanced with mini chocolate chips and just melt in your mouth. I’ll be posting cookie recipes for the next couple of weeks so keep looking for more.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
1 c. butter (no substitutions), softened
½ c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
¼ c. cornstarch
½ c. mini chocolate chips
2-3 T. granulated sugar
With electric mixer beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until well mixed. Stir in flour and cornstarch and then stir in chips. Form into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Pour granulated sugar on a small plate and dip bottom of drinking glass into the sugar and use this to gently flatten down the cookies. Press small indent in each cookie with a teaspoon. Bake in a preheated 300-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies start to brown on the bottom. Cool on sheets 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Makes about 3 ½ dozen.
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Halloween Sugar Cookies
I had a program with 50 kids last week and we made these cookies. A simple sugar cookie, it was an easy decorating task even for the younger kids. I cut the cookies with a large pumpkin shaped cookie cutter, but you could use bats, cats or other Halloween shapes. I made a simple butter cream and added orange food coloring. I also made some chocolate frosting for the stems. The decorations are just a candy called Sixlets. I used them because they are nut- free and some of the kids have nut allergies.
Halloween Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 T. milk
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Beat in milk. Heat oven to 375-degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/3- inch thickness. Cut out with lightly floured cutters and bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
For tinted dough you can add red and yellow food coloring to butter mixture before adding flour and cut out as pumpkins. For chocolate sugar cookies you can add ½ c. cocoa to flour mixture before adding to shortening and reduce flour by ¼ cup. This dough is great for bats and cats.
Classic Butter Cream
1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a bowl beat butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.
Easy Chocolate Butter Cream
6 T. butter, softened
1/3 – 3/4 c. cocoa, depending on how dark you want your frosting.
2 2/3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
Cream butter. Combine cocoa and sugar. Beat cocoa mixture in alternately with the milk until frosting is spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla. You may need an additional tablespoon of milk. Makes about 2 cups.
Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies
Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies
These cookies are great for those who like a more adult cookie. Not too sweet they are loaded with flavor. The combination of coffee and chocolate is one of my favorites. Simple to make, too. Just right for dipping in a cup of coffee.
Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies
1 T. instant coffee powder or espresso powder
1 T. hot water
1 egg
3/4 c. sugar plus extra for dipping
1/4 c. oil
2 T. corn syrup*
2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
Dissolve coffee in hot water. In mixing bowl combine coffee mixture with egg, 3/4 cup sugar, oil, syrup and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Combine dry ingredients and add to coffee mixture. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the extra sugar, pressing to 1/4 -inch thickness. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 5-7 minutes. Centers should be set. Cool on a rack. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.
* If you don’t have corn syrup- or don’t want to use it, here is a sugar syrup you can make and use as a substitute.
Sugar Syrup- corn syrup substitute
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/4 t. salt
Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover the pot. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook to soft-ball stage. Stir frequently.
Soft ball stage occurs at 235-245 degrees. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of very cold water. In the water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a ball. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water.
Remove from heat. Cool and store at room temperature. It will keep well for a month or two.
Lemonade Cookies
Lemonade Cookies
These are a perfect summertime cookie. With the sweet tangy flavor of lemonade they are a great addition to any picnic or cookout. They are soft, cake-like cookies with lemonade in the batter. Once baked they are brushed with a little lemonade concentrate and sprinkled with sugar for an extra lemonade flavor.
Lemonade Cookies
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 eggs
1/2 c. lemonade concentrate, plus extra for brushing on cookies
2 t. lemon zest
3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
In medium bowl beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and then add the lemonade concentrate and lemon zest. Combine the flour and baking soda and stir into the butter mixture. Chill dough 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease baking sheets. Scoop dough in rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden. Once cookies have cooled brush with a little lemonade concentrate and sprinkle with sugar. Makes about 5 dozen.
Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies- Gluten Free
Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies-Gluten Free
I got a bag of gluten free flour a while ago and keep experimenting with it. Last night I made a shortbread-type cookie and was really pleased with the results. Not because these cookies are OK, but because these cookies are great. I would make them again in a minute. Super crisp and not too sweet they were also very easy to make. Gluten-free flour is getting easier to find. I got mine at Costco.
Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies- Gluten Free
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 c. gluten-free flour
2 t. cinnamon
extra sugar for topping the cookies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Stir in the flour and then stir in the cinnamon. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten the cookies out by dipping the bottom of a glass in some sugar and pressing down on the dough. To help the sugar to stick to the bottom of the glass rub a tiny bit of butter on the bottom of the glass. I used the paper the butter was wrapped in. After you dip the glass the first time the sugar will stick to it. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes- or until golden around the edges. Cool on wire rack. Makes 30.
Alfajores
Alfajores
If you are looking for a new cookie you might want to try these. Made with cornstarch as a primary ingredient they are very crispy and light. Sandwiched together with dulce de leche they make a wonderful dessert. These cookies are popular in a number of South American countries and in Spain although the origin is probably from the Middle East.
Alfajores
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. lemon rind, grated
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream butter; add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Beat in vanilla and lemon rind. Sift together cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixture and mix well. Drop batter by small spoonfuls onto well-buttered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove immediately. Sandwich the cookies together with (dulce de leche) sweet milk dessert. Makes 40 cookies.
Dulce de Leche (Milk Jam)
This is the easiest way to make Dulce de Leche…the taste is pretty authentic and the work is almost completely eliminated!
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Place the can inside the pot on top of a wire rack. I use a round rack used for cooling cakes. If you don’t have a rack place a towel on the bottom of the pot. Add water to completely cover can, plus 1-2 more inches. Simmer for 4 hours, making sure the can is always completely covered with water…if not…there is an explosion!! Leave the can to cool several hours and only then open it and serve. Serve the golden-brown confection over flan, as a filling for crepes, cakes or just plain. For breakfast you can spread it on croissants, rolls or toast.
Cover cans of sweetened condensed milk with water
Dulce De Leche- this is what it looks like when you open the can
Sweetheart Sugar Cookies
Sweetheart Sugar Cookies
I made a batch of these for friends the other day. Used my favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut out hearts. I then used a smaller heart cookie cutter and cut out smaller hearts from half of the cookies. Sandwiched the baked cookies together with homemade strawberry preserves. Since I also had a bunch of tiny heart cookies from the cut outs, I used melted chocolate to turn them into tiny sandwich cookies.
Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 T. milk
Extra sugar for sprinkling, if desired
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Beat in milk. Heat oven to 375-degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/3- inch thickness. Cut out with lightly floured cutters and sprinkle with sugar or colored sugar if you like and if you are not going to frost them. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
Cookies ready to be sandwiched together
Little heart cookies sandwiched with melted chocolate
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
I have always been a big fan of shortbread cookies. This Chocolate Shortbread Cookie ranks up there with one of my favorite cookies of all time. Not too sweet and that wonderful crumbly texture found in all really good shortbread cookies. I finish them of by either brushing them or dipping them in melted chocolate or making a sandwich cookie by holding 2 cookies together with melted bittersweet chocolate. Fun dessert anytime. Extra nice for Valentine’s Day.
Chocolate Shortbread
1 c. butter, room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa
1/4 t. salt
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
Beat together butter and sugar until well blended. Mix together dry ingredients and slowly beat into butter mixture, stirring it in at the end. Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut out with cookie cutters. Re-roll scraps and cut out the remaining dough. Place on an un-greased baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees until cookies are firm around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool. Melt chocolate and dip cookies in it or use chocolate to hold 2 cookies together. Makes 2-3 dozen, depending on the size.
