Wedding Sugar Cookies

So yes, I may have fallen off the face of the earth... but I am back! I did a wedding last weekend, which took weeks of my time. Crazy, right! But I am glad I did it, just another wedding to put under my belt. (I am getting better at them :) So here are the wedding favors... Wedding cake sugar cookies. I frosted each one with different designs, did I mention I did 150 of these bad boys! So here they are, along with the recipe!


One of the designs... kinda looked like a strand of Christmas lights...but oh well!



Another design. I should have taken the pictures before I bagged them!



Piping the edges.



Fooding them with the royal icing.



All bundled up and ready to go!


Rolled Sugar Cookies-taken from Cookie Craft

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla* or 1 teaspoon vanilla plus zest of 1 lemon
food coloring (if cookie design calls for it)

*Instead of vanilla, you can use other extracts such as almond or peppermint.

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Using your mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla (and lemon zest, if you're using it) or your extract of choice and mix until well blended.

3. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until the two are thoroughly blended.

4. If your cookie design calls for adding food coloring, do so now, and continue blending until desired color is reached and is evenly incorporated.

5. Turn out dough onto work surface and divide into two or three equal portions, Form each one into a rough disk. Click here for step by step and visuals of how to roll out dough and attain cookies of the same thickness.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. After you have rolled and cut the dough and the cookie shapes are on parchment-lined cookie sheets, bake them in the middle rack of the oven for 12-16 minutes or until the cookies start to turn slightly golden around the edges.

8. Cool cookies completely on a rack before icing or decorating.

Yield
2 1/2-inch cookies--about 30
3 1/2-inch cookies--about 16
4 1/2-inch cookies--about 12


Antonia74’s Royal Icing Recipe
Ingredients:
6 oz (3/4 cup) of warm water
5 Tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 kilogram (2.25 lbs.) powdered icing sugar

Directions:
In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened…about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more. Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer. Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy. Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying. Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency.

Cinnamon roll sugar cookies

I wanted to make something different to have for Keagan when she came home from her first day of school, and this was definetively it! The kids loved them, and they were good in a cinnamon roll way :)

**Yes, I fogot to take a picture of them...but go HERE to see Picky Palate's picture.

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons softened butter, (slice 2 Tablespoons 6 times totaling 12 tablespoons)
1 1/2 Cups packed light brown sugar, divided into 1/4 Cups
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided
Frosting
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk, to thin icing
1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
2. In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.
3. Once chilled, cut each disc into thirds and roll into a 1/8 inch thick oval, about 12 inches X 5 inches. Spread each rolled pieces of dough with 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Start rolling from the long end closest to you, rolling into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/2 inch pieces of dough then placing onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.
4. To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth, slowly add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency. Frost cookies then place in refrigerator until ready to serve. These are 100 times better chilled, trust me!!
Makes at least 6 dozen

From Picky Palate

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip cookies

These cookies I must say are delicious. You have to find the Hershey's Cinnamon chips to make them, I found them at fry's. they have such a yummy oatmeal cookie taste with an extra kick of cinnamon from the chips.

Here is the recipe:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (DO NOT USE SHORTENING!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 10oz package Hershey's cinnamon chips
3/4 cup raisins (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Combine flour and soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins (batter will be stiff) P.S. I usually add 1/2 cup more flour than what the recipe calls for.

place heaping teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.

makes about 4 doz.

recipe from back of Hershey's cinnamon chip wrapper

Carmelitos Bars

I made two batches of these last week, and me thinking they were the best.things.ever i took them around to a few friends. But now I am a little confused, maybe they are not that good because not one of them said that they liked them... they didn't say anything, so maybe they were just being nice? So... if you are asking me I am giving them a two thumbs up!


1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats (sometimes I use regular)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips (I like milk for this)
3/4 cup caramel topping
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I never add these but good)
3 Tablespoons flour

(for mine, I 1 1/2 the cookie part of the recipe so they had a thicker bottom and more crumb topping for the top!)

Mix flour, oats, sugar, soda, salt and butter. Press half of the mixture into a 11x7 pan and set the other half aside. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and chopped pecans (if using). Blend 3/4 cup caramel with 3 T. flour. Pour (drizzle) over chocolate chips. Sprinkle the balance of the flour oat mixture over the dessert. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Allow to cool and set before slicing.

Recipe from Sisters Cafe.

Peanut Butter-cup cookies

The ONLY Problem with living at 7,300 ft above sea level is baking. It has always been an issue for me, so usually I add extra flour and pray before I stick cookies in the oven. This recipe was NO exception. I had to barely bake these puppies. I mean like when they would barley brown on top I would pull them out, 'cause if I didn't not even a minute later they were flatter than pancakes. AHH! So frustrating. So all of my 'living at sea level friends' can one of you darlings make this recipe and tell me how it turns out? THANKS a bunch! The cookies still came out really good, it was just a pain to have to " babysit" them while they were in the oven :)



(This picture was taken BEFORE I baked them. I will post one after...when I actually get around to taking it)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 12 oz package small peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 of the bag and it was PLENTY!)

1. Heat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to comine. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorproated. Flod in the peanut butter cups. (I used my hands for that last part)

3. Drop Tablespoon-size mounds of dough 2inches apart onto the preared baking sheets. Bake until light brown on top. 8-10 minutes. Transfer to baking rack to cool. DO NOT OVER BAKE!

I ripped this recipe out of a REAL SIMPLE magazine while waiting for my Dr's appt. Don't worry, I have already asked for forgiveness :0

Dark Chocolate and Mint cookies

There were a lot of people using these "limited edition" mint and dark chocolate chips, so I too decided to give them a try. I was going to make some fancy shmancy cookie but my Hubby asked for the regular chocolate chip recipe, so being the GREAT wife that I am, I did. and they were yummy. The Mint chips almost had a crispy texture, and the flavor wasn't overpowering like I first would have thought. So out the window went the diet (but it was worth it :) Don't mind the flatness of the cookies, we are at 7,000 ft. It's a little hard to get anything to looks as yummy this high.



Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter of stick margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (ya, not in this house :)
1 bag limited edition Dark Chocolate and mint chips

1. heat oven to 375

2. Beat sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in nuts (optional) and chocolate chips

3. Drop dough by rounded tbsp about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet/

4. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned (centers will be soft) Remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack.

EAT!

***You can use this same recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies, just use the regular chocolate chips***

Christmas Cookies

These are David's family favorites. We have made them every year since we got married. They are made with pecans, but because we have a little guy with a nut allergy we just leave them out. They don't last long and make sure to have some milk handy... you will need it!


Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter or marg.
2 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans

cream together sugar and butter. Beat in flour, vanilla and salt, stir in nuts. Use scant tsp, roll into ball and put on ungreased cookie sheet (about 30 on a sheet). Use finger to put print in the center of each cookie BEFORE BAKING. Once out of the oven fill with frosting (recipe below)

Frosting:
1 Tsp butter or marg.
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond flavoring
red or green food coloring

mix with whole milk or canned milk.


Recipe is from David's mom, SueAnn Charon

Christmas Kiss Cookies

Cream together:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Add:
1 egg
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

mix together then add to creamed mixture:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

form into balls about 1 inch in diameter, roll in granulated (white) sugar. Baking in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until set. Take out of oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into center. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling. Kisses will get soft but will firm up again as the cookie cools. These take a LONG time to cool (like an hour or more)

Recipe from my Mom.... Elizabeth

Scarecrows

Hello new friends. Aren't they just the cutest things you have ever seen? They just look at you and say, "hi. how are ya?" I love makng holiday themed treats!




What you'll need to make these little guys:

Cookies (I used Sour cream cookies: recipe below)
White frosting
Assorted sugar wafers (ours were about 2 1/2 inches long)
Candy corn
Mini chocolate chips
Bran cereal (I used Chow Mein noodles... only cause I had them already)
Chocolate sprinkles



Old-fashioned sour cream cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

heat oven to 350F. mix shortening, sugar, egg and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend dry ingredients; add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick on well floured pastry cloth. Cut with 2" cutter. place on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar (or don't if frosting them) bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Recipe from Betty Crocker. Love her!
Scarecrow idea is from familyfun.com

Lemon Bars

Lemon bars are a FAVORITE in this house. We usually just stick to the tried and true recipe, but I think in the future I might branch out a little bit, so if you have a good recipe you wouldn't mind sharing, let me know. Otherwise.. enjoy! P.S. David makes these in our house... he's such a great cook!


(do you like how my witch is keeping an eye out on these little yummies! That's right... I have a guard witch on my lemon bars!)
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Heat oven to 350F. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend flour, butter and confectioners’ sugar thoroughly. Press evenly in square pan 8x8x2. Bake 20 min. Beat rest of ingredients together. Pour over crust and bake 20-25 min more. Do not overbake. (The filling puffs during baking then flattens when cooled) make 16 squares (nah.. more like 4 HUGE squares in our family ;)

Gingerbread Pumpkins

1/3 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 2/ cups dark molasses
2/3 cup water
7 cups flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix shortening, sugar and molasses thoroughly. Stir in water, measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend all dry ingredients, stir in. chill.
Heat oven to 350F. Roll dough 1/4 " thick on lightly floured board. Cut with gingerbread boy cutter (or pumpkin cutter.. hello!) place on lightly greased cookie sheet. bake 10 - 12 minutes.

Royal Icing
2 large egg whites
4 cups sifted powder sugar, or more to thicken
juice of 1 lemon

beat the whites until stiff, but not dry. Add sugar and lemon, beat 1 more minute. May be stored up to 3 days.

Recipe is from my Betty Crocker Cookbook

lil' monsters

Easiest halloween treat EVER!



Ingredients:

1 bag of chow mein noodles
3/4 bag butterscotch chips

Heat chips in microwave safe bowl, once melted add in noodles, stir. place spoonful on wax paper add regular chocolate chips for eye balls.

e.a.s.y :)

Sugar Cookies

{I did the same idea as the other cookies with the webs, I just used Halloween colored M & M's .. I think they are cuter that way!}
Ingredients:

1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Mix margarine and shortening together, add 1/2 of the flour and everyting else. Mix well, add remaining flour. Cover and refridgerate for 1 hour.

This is what it looks like when rolling out the dough

Roll out and cut with shapes

bake 375 for 7-8 minutes

Frosting:

2 cups powder sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk

blend well, add more powder sugar if necessary. Use food coloring to add extra fun!

Recipe is from Staci Lyman's kitchen (David's sister)

Spider Halloween cookies

Trix or Treat Spider Cookies

1 package Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
1 can of chocolate ready-made frosting
1 can of vanilla ready-made frosting
24-48 Trix orange and green sweetened corn puffs (they don't make plain ones, only swirled, so try halloween colored M&M's)
Toothpicks
Re-sealable plastic bags

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients for cookies as directed on the package.
Use a small ice cream scoop to get similar sized cookies or just use a spoon and vary the amount for different size cookies.
Place cookie dough on a parchment covered baking sheet.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes about two dozen cookies.
To decorate:

Spread chocolate frosting on the top of each cookie.
Fill a re-sealable plastic bag with a couple of heaping spoonfuls of frosting and snip a tiny hole out of the bottom of one corner.
Pipe on three circles of white frosting for each cookie. Start in the middle with the smallest circle and work your way out.
Take a toothpick and beginning in the center, drag it lightly through each circle. Repeat all the way around the cookie.
Take remaining frosting and separate it into two bowls. Tint one frosting with orange icing color and the other with green.
Fill two re-sealable bags with the orange and green frosting and snip off the corner of each.
Pipe eight small legs with each color and place a matching orange or green Trix Cereal puff on the top of each pair of legs. Add one or several spiders on each cookie.

This recipe came from Bakerella, and hers are much cuter. Check them out at bakerella.com

Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sicks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats (quick or uncooked)
1 sm bag butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 350F. Beat together butter and sugars, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Use less flour if not in high altitude. I always add more flour because we are higher...duh.

Recipe is a mix all my own :-)

Homemade Oreo's

{I added food coloring to make these orange for Halloween!}


Ingredients:
2 boxes Devil's food cake mixes
1 cup Crisco
4 eggs

mix together ingredients well (you will need electric beaters), roll into nickel size balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350F




Frosting:

8 oz package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened

mix all together, for the holidays I tint the icing and sometimes even add peppermint extract. YUM.

This recipe is from Jamie's kitchen

White Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunchers

I was a little sceptical of making cookies with cereal, but they weren't 1/2 bad. The cereal was a little chewy, but I think it's because I stirred them too much. I would also crush them more than what it says. Good luck!



My little helper (cute!)


White Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunchers
2 sticks softened butter
1 Cup packed brown sugar
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, slightly crushed up
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag white chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined. In a large bowl combine the flour, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with the white chips until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough and place onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until edges just start to turn golden brown.
2. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

Shortbread cookies

I grew up with my Mom making these yummies. I actually like them MUCH MORE now then I did back then.

Ingredients:

1 pound (4 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

2 tsp salt (2 1/2 tsp if using unsalted butter)

Cream 1 pound butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Stir or sift together 4 cups flour and salt. Blend into butter mixture just until combined, don't overmix.

Press dough into rimmed cookie sheet, moistening fingers with cold water if you find it too sticky. Bake for 30 minutes, and immediately after pulling from oven, shake a hearty amount of granulated sugar over the entire surface. Cut into squares or whatever you would like.

WARNING: This makes a WHOLE cookie sheet full, so there will be plenty around the house (i.e breakfast, lunch and dinner)

This recipe is from my Mom's Kitchen and she I believe got it from a newspaper clip when living in New York.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs. In separate bowl sift together flour, cream of tarter, salt and baking soda.

Roll in Cinnamon sugar

place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 350F.

Recipe is from my Mom (ahhhhh)

Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies taste like pumpkin bread with frosting. I love the taste of Fall!

1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin (I like libby's)
2 3/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 ts ginger

Heat oven to 400F. Mix sugar, shortening, eggs and pumpkin thoroughly. Measure flour by sifting. Blend dry ingredients, add to pumpkin mixture, stirring until well blended. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Ice cookies with butter icing (recipe below)

Butter Icing

2 1/2 Tbsp soft butter
1 1/2 cups sifted powder sugar
1 1/2 tsp heavey whipping cream
3/4 tsp vanilla

Blend butter and sugar together. Stir in cream and vanilla until smooth (add water to make it thinner if needed)

Mkae about 4 doz.