Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

Its officially Hunting Weekend! Or, as I like to call it, When The Boys Are Away, The Girls Will Play weekend! Nearly all of the men I know have gone off hunting for the weekend, including my own man. I don't know what it is about deer season that gets men all riled up but they're excited and they leave us alone for at least three days (if not more) after nonstop marathon sessions of Modern Warfare *sigh*. But thats a different story!



I made these cookies for my boyfriend to take up north to his cabin where him and about six other men are hunting for the weekend. I figured they would need some sugar to keep them going! These cookies were absolutely amazing! So buttery and sugary and just light and perfect! They really tasted like those soft frosted cookies from the store but even better because they're homemade! I did have a little problem with the frosting, it was really thin at first. I got it to thicken more by adding a lot more powdered sugar but it still didn't look as perfect as those grocery store cookies. However it tasted yummy so thats all that really matters, right?



I made the Browning logo (a deer's head) from chocolate candy melts just by tracing the logo from a printout I found online onto some wax paper. My boyfriend absolutely adored them and I hope the men liked them as well! Now I have to get back to the kitchen because its "Doe's Night". Every year when the hunting men-folk go off on their merry way, us girlfriends and wives left behind have a girls night in full of food, booze, and lots of good fun! I can't wait!

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
7-8 tbsp. milk (plus more, as needed)
Food coloring, sprinkles, or candy melts (optional)

Directions:
To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart. Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set. Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To frost the cookies, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in additional milk as necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired. Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies. Top with sprinkles or decorate as desired. Store in airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.

Source: Recipe from Annie's Eats

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Happy Halloween! I had to make Halloween sugar cookies of course, because I just look for any excuse to make sugar cookies really! I found these adorable cookie cutters at Michael's and I was sold. I especially love the little ghosts. Too cute!



I used my usual sugar cookie recipe and royal icing which you can find here. These were so much fun to make (and eat, of course) and everyone really seemed to enjoy them. Next year I think I'll try different shapes, the cookie cutter set also came with different fun shapes like spiders and witches hat. I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

Pink Ribbon Sugar Cookies for Breast Cancer Awareness

Wow, I haven't posted in a ridiculously long time. Things got a little hectic this last spring when I switched jobs. Now I'm finally getting used to my new work setting and things are finally settling down. And I just realized one night that I all but abandoned my blog! I don't want to give up on this, I love writing and sharing recipes and I know I can get better at this one day and remember to regularly post.



So, as my first post in a long, long time, I would like to share with you these pink ribbon sugar cookies for Breast Cancer Awareness month! It was around last Christmas-time that I finally starting experimenting with royal icing. I've always loved making (and eating!) sugar cookies, but I would normally just decorate them with a regular icing that you really can't do much detailing with. So after Annie (one of my favorite bloggers and naturally, my go-to source for most of my baking adventures) posted a step-by-step tutorial on how to decorate with royal icing, I knew it was time to try it!



I've definitely gotten better throughout the year with my decorating skills but I do admit, I have a long way to go until my cookies look anywhere near as perfect as genius cookies such as Annie or Bridget at Bake at 350 or Sweet Sugar Belle. But I hope you enjoy these cookies anyway and my go-to sugar cookie recipe! Its an old one, from my mom's old Betty Crocker cookbook that was originally my grandma's.



I know so many people have been affected by cancer. I have personally been affected by it by a few family members having to go through the worst possible thing you can imagine. Its scary and sad and difficult to cope with at times but just knowing that there are people out there searching for the cure and so many people working together makes it easier at times.


This is me and some family and friends at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the end of September! I'm the one on the far left. Pink Power!

Deluxe Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter

Mix together thoroughly the butter, confectioners sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend in slowly the flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Cover and chill for at least 2-3 hours. (I like to let mine chill overnight.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Pull of small chunks of dough at a time and roll each half to 3/16 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown on the edge. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Source: Recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1974



Royal Icing
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5-6 tbsp. water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes). Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.

Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set. Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired.

Source: Recipe from Annie's Eats