What’s Cooking?! Incredible Sugar Cookies

Happy couple of days after Christmas everyone!  I hope that your holiday was filled with wonder.

We watched the Nativity Story on Christmas Eve afternoon before our service at church and I loved how it set the scene for my heart for worship even more.  If you’ve never seen that movie…go watch it.  It is such a neat look at what it must have really been like back in that time and place when Christ was born.  Gives you a new perspective on it all.

I’ve been enjoying the last few days with nothing on our agenda as well.  Since my oldest is out of school this week, I plan on doing more of the same…a whole lotta “nothing major.”  Today though, we’re going to make some sugar cookies.  My littlest one is turning TWO in just a couple of weeks, so I figure we’ll do what we can to get started on some preparations for his party.  Last year, these sugar cookies were a great hit when I made them at his Very Hungry Caterpillar  birthday party, and again in the shape of musical notes at Tid Bit’s bluegrass themed party.  This year we’re going to be doing a dog theme because the child LOVES dogs.  I think I’m going to go simple on the cookies though and make them in the shape of bones.  I have shared this recipe before, but realized since it was ages ago and I was just learning about blogging, I didn’t tag it properly and it’s hard to find on the blog.  So here it is again for ya!

It uses powdered sugar instead of regular granulated, resulting in a really shortbready tasting cookie…DELISH!  I scoured the internet and cookbooks to find the perfect recipe, and this one is about as perfect as I have ever had! It makes really good thick cookies, which I love.  I guess if you’re a thin cookie person though, that’s just all up to you and your rolling pin!  To make the icing just mix powdered sugar,  a dash of vanilla, and milk (or soymilk) til it’s the consistency you want.

Amazing Sugar Cookies
yield: about 75 medium cookies

• 24 ounces butter (softened)
• 20 ounces powdered sugar (sifted)
• 3 whole eggs, plus
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract
• 1/4 ounce almond extract
• 6 1/2 cups flour

1. With paddle attachment, mix butter for 30 seconds. Add a 1/3 of the powdered sugar, mix on first speed for 1 minute. Add another 1/3 of the powdered sugar, mix another minute. Finally, add the last 1/3 of sugar, mix 1 minute.
2. Combine eggs, vanilla, and almond extract together, add to butter/sugar mixture. Mix for 30 seconds.
3. Add a 1/3 of the flour, mix 1 minute.
4. Scrape.
5. Add the next 1/3 of the flour, mix 2 minutes.
6. Scrape.
7. Add the final 1/3 of the flour, mix 3 minutes.
8. Refrigerate until able to be rolled out and cut into desired shapes. (if you’re using the dairy free version i told above,  I’d refrigerate it AT LEAST 24 hrs before rolling out to make sure it really sets up.) Bake at 350 for 9-15 minutes depending on the size you cut them!)

(As a side note for my friends who have food allergies, you can make this recipe dairy free.  To do so, I substituted 1/2 the amount of butter with Fleishman’s Unsalted Margarine, and 1/2 with Earth Balance Buttery Sticks which I buy at Whole foods.  You really need to mix the two to get it right.  The margarine makes a flavorful, but super soft and sticky dough by itself, and the buttery sticks sometimes have a slightly oily taste but have a harder consistency…by mixing the 2, you’ll keep a good buttery flavor from the margarine and keep the texture right from the buttery sticks.)

I hope you are enjoying some relaxing time with your family too!  Makes me long for the days of summer for sure!