Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Sugar Cookies


Wanna hear a gross story? If not, just skip to the recipe, below.

In addition to the cake that I made, I wanted to make and ice cookies for the first time. Sure, I've made cookies before and I've iced things. But I've never iced cookies.

This was my first foray into royal icing.

I'll spare you the preparation pictures. Actually, there aren't any since I was covered in royal icing. By this point, I had made the cake, made the muffins, made, rolled, cut and baked the cookies. I had also made the pudding. So, I was tired. I probably should have made some components earlier in the week.

I think I included too much water in the royal icing and it went all over the place. My hand, the counter, etc. I ended up throwing out the first paper piping bag. After making a second and filling it, it was still dripping from both ends. Next, I thought I would just grab onto the bag, between my teeth. It sort of worked until the bag got stuck to my lip. Then, I pulled the bag off and...let's just say that I'm glad that we have the capacity to heal ourselves. Ouch.

I iced about 40 cookies. But, cut down my ultimate goal (multiple sizes, multiple colours, more decorations).

Funnily enough, they were still a hit.

A big THANK YOU goes to Katie from Good Things Catered. If you scroll through her blog, you'll see how talented and creative she is. Katie was really generous in setting me on the right track. I used her recipe for sugar cookies, which originates from her friend, Ashley.

Fabulous Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp lemon zest
5 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
-Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
-Add vanilla, almond, and lemon zest.
-Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt a little at a time.
-Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.



-Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake cookies for 7-8 minutes (even if it doesn't look done, take it out)
-Wait until cookies are cooled before icing. I also got the tip to at least move the cookies on the sheet a little bit so that they won't stick when they cool. I opten to just put them on a cooling rack.

The number of cookies this recipe makes depends on the thickness. Katie got about 30-32 big, thick cookies. I got about 60 cookies (they're circular cookies 2-3 inches in diameter).

To ice the cookies, I used Wilton's Royal Icing recipe. I added a bit of blue food colouring and iced my cookies.



I truly had big decorating plans...but it was getting late and I was exhausted. Thankfully, I still have more than 1/2 of both the cookies and icing left, for future cookie-making endeavours.

Despite everything, the cookies were a hit at the party. All of them were either eaten or taken home by others at the party.


They were so much of a hit, that even someone who shouldn't have eaten a cookie stole one...He was quickly incarcerated.


Even though these are technically baby shower cookies, I think they could also double as Christmas cookies. So, I am submitting these cookies to Food Blogga's Eat Christmas Cookies Event. The roundup is provided as submissions come in (until Dec. 21st), so go check out the cookies here.

StumbleUpon

26 comments:

Melanie said...

Yikes, that is quite the trauma with the royal icing. But your cookies still look really beautiful (love the color blue) and since I didn't comment yet on your cake post, I have to tell you that it is so adorable - perfect for a baby shower!

Anonymous said...

haha.. love the gross story!
Glad you survived Royal Icing, some have lost their life using this stuff. :-)

You've been really busy! Nice job.

Lori said...

Poor puppy. I bet he enjoyed the cookie though. They look yummy. THey are my all time fav cookie!

glamah16 said...

Royal icicng can be a pin, but the results are so pretty, like your cookies.

Elle said...

The cookies and the cake are just lovely! Sorry that the royla icing was a royal pain, too. That color blue on the cookies is certainly pretty!

kat said...

Oh that sounds like a nasty icing accident!

The Peanut Butter Boy said...

I don't believe I've ever heard of an icing incident, get better soon! Love the colors of the cake/cookies though, was it worth it?

Hopie said...

Hope you heal quickly! You're one devoted cook. Those cookies certainly look like they came out well though and were appreciated.

sunita said...

Sorry for the mishap, but those cookies do look tempting...no wonder unwanted guests too found them irresistable :-D

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Pretty blue topped cookies will be delightful for Christmas. Thanks so much! PS-I hope your lip heals in time for the mistletoe season. :)

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

My daughter and I still make my moms Sugar Cookies every year at Christmas. I make a butter icing because that is what I grew up on but the royal icing would be more versatile. The only sad thing about making the cookies with by 21 year old these days is that she give most of them to her boyfriend, C'est la vie:D

Chibog in Chief said...

hehehehe, sorry your gross story made me laugh :-) but these cookies looks truly yummy!! what a great entry for susan's event!

MommyLisa said...

Pretty cookies - the blue looks like Hannuka to me though! ;)

Yum. and poor puppy.

That Girl said...

I love royal icing, but my counters HATE it.

Anonymous said...

I have never gone royal either but want to...but ouch on the lip!

Anonymous said...

YAY! I'm glad they worked out and you liked them. :) I LOVE that blue color! So pretty! And poor little puppy! hahaha.

grace said...

i can't get past the cuteness of the pup. i'm trying...but no, i can't get past it. adorable. :)

PG said...

Peanut butter boy - yeah, it was worth it...though I would do more preparations earlier in the week next time.

Deeba PAB said...

LOL...sorry but I really enjoyed your gross story...& relived many of my unreported misadventures thorugh them. Am glad they were poplular though...you did GREAT actually!!

Ivy said...

Sorry I haven't been around the past few days. Sorry to hear about your mishap with the royal icing but the result was great. Love the cake as well.

My Sweet & Saucy said...

What yummy looking cookies! To answer your question...I make the scraps into cakeballs...they are sooo good!

Lori Lynn said...

Oh I thought they were Hanukkah cookies!
The look on your pooch's face just gets me. My Wilson, when he is scolded, looks like that too. Drooping his non-existent shoulders and lowering his head. Breaks your heart, no?

Nic said...

Awwwww, that doggie's face - he's a darling!
I would have stolen a few too, they look really good!

Ruth Strong said...

Great work on those cookies - I've never iced cookies either and I'm sure I'd have loads of problems too.

RecipeGirl said...

That royal icing can be a little tricky, huh?

These are beautiful. I think they could absolutely be Christmas cookies. Just shape your cookies into snowflakes and pipe some white on top of the blue. Pretty!

Jaime said...

beautiful cake and cookies!

LinkWithin Related Stories Widget for Blogs
Share/Bookmark