Roll out Sugar Cookies

Well now that Christmas is over I am not baking so much. I am trying like most people to curb my sweet tooth, which can be very difficult when you write a 'Sweets' blog. So, on that note I will tell you that I am going to make some changes around here but I won't go into it right now.

I have had a few computer problems of late so that is the reason for my infrequent posts. So I am dying to share this post with you.

I did a lot of baking during the holiday period and one thing I have found that makes it all worthwhile is a good recipe. I would not bake anywhere near as much without good recipes to fall back on. And this one of my favourite cookie recipes.You see, they are soft, but firm, sweet and creamy (okay I know that sounds weird but that is how I think of them). 

I am not sure whether to call them roll out cookies, or sugar cookies or even shortbread cookies, but I think they cover all bases. You can roll them, they have sugar and they have a shortbread texture!

     

The recipe for these yummy cookies is available in many places and is called the NFSC - the no fail sugar cookie recipe...it fits them perfectly. One great thing is that this dough will hold it's shape well (with a bit of refrigeration) and the dough won't puff up in the oven - a no-no for good cookie decorators.

NFSC Recipe

http://cakecentral.com/a/no-fail-sugar-cookies

6 cups plain flour
3 tsp. baking powder

230 grams butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract or desired flavoring (I have used various extracts but lemon is my favourite)
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 180oC (160oC for a fan-forced).

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. 

Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.
Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or see Hint below)

Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. 

Place baking paper on your baking sheets and place shapes on baking sheets. 

I tend to put my shapes back into the fridge at this point because the dough can get a bit warm when you cut shapes with it.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges. This recipe can make up to 5-dozen 3” cookies.

HINT: Rolling Out Dough Without the Mess -- Rather than wait for your cookie dough to chill, take the freshly made dough and place a glob between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to the desired thickness then place the dough and paper on a cookie sheet and pop it into the refrigerator. Continue rolling out your dough between sheets of paper until you have used it all. By the time you are finished, the first batch will be completely chilled and ready to cut. Re-roll leftover and cut and bake!

You can also find the recipe here on Sweetapolita. She uses it to make cookies pops!

I have a bit of a fascination for cookies cutters and I bought these cute cutters from ebay. I think they are used in bento boxes or some thing like that but they make great cookie cutters and the kiddies can use them too.  I made these cookies for my daughters playdate and I think my girls ate most of them. 

So tell me if you like this recipe too, or if you have a different favourite recipe.

A teachers gift...

Okay, so Christmas is coming and very fast too. And because of that I have to think ahead a little to prep for teachers gifts. What! Christmas is around the corner..who am I kidding! Now, my little ones have a few teachers to consider for presents in order to say 'thanks' for all their hard work, care and kindness throughout the year, that they have lavished on my children. For I (and I mean 'we' here) do appreciate it all. My life runs as smoothly as it does because of these lovely people (okay so i am kidding that my life runs smoothly and stress free, but it isn't anything they can fix!).

So what do your get a teacher for Christmas, a gift of course! And home baked cookies! Now I know there are lots of mums (or dads) like me who work, and don't have much time up their sleeve, but I know you too like me love to bake and decorate. So, let me introduce you to a blog I follow - 'The Decorated Cookie'. Oh, you've heard of it...silly me of course you have.

It is fabulous and a little while ago there was this brilliant post about sprinkles or sparkles or whatever you want to call them. Either way it was an excuse for me to have some fun, and buy some more. Do you like sprinkles? I love them, on cupcakes, cookies, gingerbread houses and whatever...i think it is the 'hundreds and thousands' concept that gets me.

So, Meaghan has this great posting and I immediately fell in love with the cookies. I couldn't help myself and so my search began for jars....Oh I could go on, but needless to say Peters of Kensington saved my life...Ohh I loooooove that store, so many things I want to buy...but yes I am going on again. So yes,I found jars, and pretty sprinkles and made dough....lots if it! and made cookies. Lots of them!

I will share a few tips that I rely on this time of year to get through a large baking batch:
1. Firstly, pick a dough you like to use and stick with it. The one I use lets me change flavours simply enough.
2. Make the dough, roll into a log, and put it in the fridge. When it is firm enough I cut small amounts and cut my shapes. I then place those shapes directly onto baking paper lined trays and freeze (collect all the biscuits together when frozen and bag them) and place in freezer again.
3. This way I can bake them all together. So just take them out of the freezer when you are ready to bake and add a little extra cooking time (a minute or two). Cool, cool, cool.
4. Make all your batches of icing when you are ready to decorate and store in air-tight containers. I also used store-bought royal icing powder to decorate these cookies. I bought the Queens brand royal icing, and find it very good to work with, and that way I don't have to worry about raw egg-whites in my icing.

I hope the tips help.

I really feel these cookies offer a sparkle to the Christmas season. Yes, they are simple, but who wants to be complicated when you have so much Christmas baking to do!

I was working in the lab late one night..

When my eyes beheld an eerie sight....actually it was more likely that I was shopping when I beheld the eerie sight, but it sounds better this way. What am I talking about....Halloween cookie cutters.

So as my husband is starting to work out, I have a thing for cookie cutters. It has not reached epic proportions yet, but I could get there given time. I love them. And there are some great ones out there - like this one below. I loved it. It is a Fred brand one and my eldest and I had some fun playing around with it.

 

As Halloween fast approaches there are blogs and websites that are overloaded with festive cookie designs. I love them. I was never into halloween to tell the truth but this year I am. And we are planning to dress up too. If I can find a funky hat before then.

This is a shortbread vanilla cookie with white royal icing.