Old Fashioned Sugar Cut Outs

Don't they just make you smile?  They are the perfect cookie for Santa, or any time of year.  I use this as my go-to sugar cookie year-round: Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, I even made them for my wedding.  I'm not huge on decorating, but I've done glaze and sprinkles or colored sugar (seen here), as well as glaze and royal icing details.  If you have the patience (and skill) to do all royal frosting details, go for it.  But the flavor isn't that great, so I like the glaze to give it some sweetness.  I also love this recipe because I get to use my plethora of cookie cutters.

This recipe comes from the Food Network, submitted to their online library by Cathy Lowe.  I picked it up in 2002 and over the years, the only thing I've come to change is the baking. I've learned that chilling your cut outs for 10 minutes prior to baking helps keep the integrity of their shape and give you a soft cookie without browning the edges. But the ingredients and the rest of the process remain the same.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cut Outs

Ingredients (for cookies):
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and mix thoroughly.  Stir flour mixture into butter mixture one cup at a time.

Divide dough in half, mold into a disc shape and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill dough 3-4 hours or overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick and cut out using cookie cutters.

Place on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and chill for 10 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.  (I use approximately 2-3 inch cutters and bake for 10 minutes.  You want to catch these just before the edges turn brown, so if you're not quite sure, pull them out and let them cool on the pans a few extra minutes where they will continue baking.)

Cool on pans for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to complete cooling.

Glaze

Ingredients (for glaze):

3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons milk

In small bowl, stir all glaze ingredients together until smooth.  Place a piece of parchment or a silicone mat under a cooking rack.

Using the back of a spoon, spread glaze onto the center of the cookie (it will spread to the edges), and allow to set on cooling rack.  Any glaze that drips off the edges will  fall onto the parchment and not your table or counter, making for easy clean up.  Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

For storage, allow glaze to set before packing into airtight containers. If you are going to layer the cookies, I suggest putting one layer in the container and popping it in the freezer for 5 minutes. Then place a piece of wax paper on top and repeat layers.

Makes approximately 6 dozen.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

Cocoa Snowflakes

I've seen these under many different names (Cocoa Pixies, Cocoa Crinkles, etc.) and slightly altered recipes, but the end result is a similar cookie.  It's almost brownie like (if you don't overbake them) and a rich, chocolately flavor.  I prefer this recipe over ones that call for oil, and I love the chewiness this cookie has.  You could add 1 cup of finely chopped nuts, but I've never felt compelled to do so.

This recipe come from a Penzey's Spices catalog several years ago.  They're easy to make, but I did alter the recipe slightly.  I cut the temperature back, and increased the baking time because I kept getting burnt bottoms, which of course ruined the entire cookie.  I cannot stress enough--do not overbake these guys.  If you're just on the cusp and not sure if you should leave them in, take them out of the oven, but let them cool longer on the pan where they'll continue to bake a little bit, finishing them off.

Cocoa Snowflakes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a small, heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat, then add cocoa powder and blend well with a fork or small whisk until smooth.

Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar until combined--you'll have a very dark brown, gritty lump.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add vanilla extract, then eggs one at a time, stirring well with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Add flour mixture and mix well.
 

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.  The dough doesn't get really stiff, but it's easier to handle if it's not warm.

Divide dough into 4 chunks, and using one chunk at a time (leave the rest in the fridge), roll the dough into 3/4 inch balls, and then roll each ball in powdered sugar.

Place the sugar coated balls onto a greased or parchment/Silpat lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies for 8 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.

Let cool a minute on pans, then remove to complete cooling on racks.

Makes 4 dozen.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess