Cookie Week Entry 7 - Sugar Cookies (Cut Outs)

Sugar Cookies
(for cut outs)

I am of the belief that most people underestimate the sugar cookie.  This isn’t your normal sugar cookie though- I am talking about the cut out/decorated sugar cookie that most people make as kids… but then realize how much work they are as adults and often overlook when doing any sort of baking.

I challenge you all to try cut outs again this holiday season.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas… there are cookie cutters for every occasion.

Once cut out, you can decorate your cookies with frosting, icing, sprinkles, sugars, candy pieces… really anything that is edible!!  They sky is the limit.  Let your creativity flow.  While these cookies can be a little bit of work- I am always shocked how fun it is to decorate them.

Have a little decorating party too!  Get some of your friends to help you with your decorating.  Pay them in cookies!

I guarantee that you will impress some people with your brightly colored, lightly flavored, soft & chewy sugar cookies!

Print your own copy of the Sugar Cookie Recipe Card: CLICK HERE!

Ingredients

·         1 c. sugar

·         1 c. butter

·         1 t. vanilla

·         ½ t. almond extract

·         1 egg

·         2  1/3 c. flour

·         1 t. baking soda

·         1 t. cream of tartar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix egg, vanilla, almond extract, and baking soda together.

Add butter, cream of tartar, and sugar.

Cream mixture together.

Add flour.  Mix thoroughly.

Chill dough for a minimum of 2 hours.

Remove dough, roll, cut out shapes.

Place cookie shapes on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes.  *Cookies should not brown.  I only cook mine for 6 minutes - they stay soft then!*

Cool cookies before frosting.

Sugar Cookie Icing

The icing on the cake… or the sugar cookie… is a good icing.  (I say icing, because it is more of a glaze.)  I love this icing recipe for two reasons.

1)      It is SIMPLE.  (remedial almost)

2)      The icing has a high gloss, and it dries hard (to the tough) but is soft to eat.

Simply put… it’s a no brainer!

I make sever batches and color them up with food coloring.  Make your favorite colors today!

Print your own copy of the Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe Card: CLICK HERE!

Ingredients

·         1 c. powdered sugar

·         3 t. milk

·         2 t. light corn syrup

·         1 t. almond extract

·         Assorted Food Colorings

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together.

Add food coloring (a little bit at a time) to desired color.

*Add more milk to make icing softer, as desired.*