Lots of people enjoy the thin, crisp cut out cookies that are covered in royal icing and sprinkles...to me, they have always tasted a little harsh and factory like.
I like my sugar cookies a little cakey, super soft, and light on the frosting (that may be the only time I ever use the term "light on the frosting"...the whole reason that I like cupcakes is because they have a mound of frosting to a little bit of cake).
At Christmas I pump out dozens of these cookies each week. They go to school, to friends, to family, and also right in my family's tummy.
1. Do not cut the refrigeration time short.
2. Do not roll the dough too thin.
3. Make the dough scraps into a flat disc and put them back into the refrigerator when they get a little soft and start to change color. Leave them in there for 10-15 minutes. Work with another section of dough until the time has passed :)
4. Do not worry about trying to decorate the cookies the same way that I did, find your own signature designs and have fun with them! I found my style because I am really good at straight lines, but generally stink at art.
5. Use good quality food coloring (like Wilton) so it will not dramatically change the consistency of your frosting.
(frosting recipe below)
Ingredients:
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
3 Tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 egg
Directions:
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and put aside.
In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, or until fully combined. Add the milk and vanilla and mix well. Add the egg and continue mixing until just incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in thirds, beating each time until well incorporated.
Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roill out one half of the dough at a time to 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick. (The dough will be hard to roll at first because it is cold and stiff, bang it a few times with the rolling pin and then put some muscle into it). Cut out shapes and place directly on cookies sheets. Leave the rest of the dough in the refrigerator until you need it.
Cake each batch for 6-9 minutes or until they are puffed. It may take a batch or two to learn to eyeball the perfect time to pull them because it is just before they brown. If a batch or two has slightly golden edges they will still taste amazing so don't worry about it :)
Let cool for 2 minutes on the pan and then place on the cooling rack until completely cooled.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies with a standard size cookie cutter.
Sugar Cookie Frosting
Ingredients:
2 cups of powdered sugar
2-3 Tablespoons of milk
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
food coloring
Directions:
Mix the sugar, 2 Tablespoons of milk and vanilla by hand in a mixing bowl until it just comes together. It should be hard to mix, but a consistency that will be able to go through a thin tip in a piping bag. If it seems to thick you can cautiously add the 3rd Tablespoon of milk.
Divide the frosting into bowls and add food coloring. Place frosting into food bags and decorate your cookies! I like to lay mine out on wax paper to decorate them.
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| Looks like a gingerbread cookie snuck into this picture...I will have to share that recipe around Christmas. |
Oh yay! I was hoping you might post this recipe! The cookies you posted the other day looked so good, and I've never found a good recipe! Can't wait to try!!
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