Holiday Cookies With Residents

 

Today I did a Holiday Cookie Demo for my residents.

Lots of good smells, stories and tasting going on.

 

 

First, I had to find a foolproof recipe! Mind you, I love baking but cut out sugar cookies and I have a checkered past. Please don't tell my health oriented friends that I have actually resorted to the slice and bake Pillsbury holiday cookies and yes, gasp, we kind of like them. Well, minus the artificial ingredients, that is. We try to forget that part.

 

So. I googled "foolproof" and found www.cookiemadness.net and this great recipe:

 

 

No-Fail Cut Out Sugar Cookies with No-Fail Icing

Author: Cookie Madness

Ingredients

·        3 cups all purpose flour (380 grams/13.5 oz)

·        1 teaspoon baking powder (5 ml)

·        2 sticks butter, unsalted, cool room temperature (230 grams/ 8oz)

·        1 cup granulated sugar (7.5 oz/210 grams)

·        1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 ml) -- Use up to a teaspoon if you like sweet/salty

·        1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)

·        1/8 teaspoon lemon extract (or almond) (dash)

·        1 large egg

 

Icing:

·        2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz/230 grams)

·        1 box confectioner’s sugar (1 pound)

·        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·        Whole milk as needed

Instructions

1.    Thoroughly stir together the flour and baking powder; set aside.

2.    Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the salt and extracts. Scrape sides of bowl and beat in egg, beating only until egg is blended in.

3.    Add the flour mixture gradually (1 cup at a time) and stir until incorporated

4.    Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

5.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface to approximately 5/8" thick. Cut the cookies into shapes and place the cut cookie shape on a parchment lined cookie.

6.    Bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown in color. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

7.    Yield will vary depending on how big you make the cookies

8.    Mix the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar together in a bowl, then add in the vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until it all comes together. Slowly add the milk or half & half and beat, beat, beat until creamy.

Notes

If you are making really large cookies, reduce the baking temperature to 350 and bake for a longer period of time or until edges are lightly browned.

 

*Heather's note: I just add sprinkles. Frosting is a little too labor intensive and has extra sugar I don't need. If it was a special occasion, maybe I would do this though...

 

 

 

 

Rolling out these cookies was a breeze.

 

 

 

And the end result was tasty.

 

 

Merry Christmas, Happy Belated Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Festivus or whatever you celebrate!

Happy New Year in advance!

PS In the time it took to write this blog, I baked a Martha Stewart Apple Spice Cake for Christmas. Smells too good! I feel some more walking and yoga coming up to compensate for this...