All Aboard for Thomas the Train Cookies

 

 

I just completed these cookies for Tommy’s 3rd Birthday.  These are one of my favorite cookies I’ve made; so much fun and adorable!

 

 

 

 

Minnie Mouse Sugar Cookies

I had fun making these cookies for a little 2 year old’s Birthday Party – 45 cookies.  Minnie Mouse was the theme for this party, ha, ha, as if that isn’t obvious.  It was also fun designing the customized bag toppers.

 

 

It’s All About Hearts – Valentine Heart Sugar Cookies

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s all about hearts . . . decorated heart sugar cookies.  The design options are endless.  Have you tried decorating sugar cookies yet with Royal Icing?  There are so many different ways to say “I love You” … and today I’m saying it with cookies.  Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  food.com

Kittencal’s Buttery Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. For cookies; in a large bowl combine butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract; beat using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
2. In another bowl combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the butter mixture until well blended.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
4. Set oven to 400°F.
5. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (do not grease cookie sheets use parchment paper only)
6. On a very lightly floured surface roll out the dough into about 1/4-inch thickness.
7. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
8. Place cookies 2-inches apart on cookie sheet.
9. Bake 4-6 minutes.

(I do not use the icing recipe that come with this cookie recipe.)

Winter Cookie Bouquet – Say it with Cookies

Soft, with a slightly crunchy exterior these sugar cookies are delicious!  I made these cookies with my new Sugar Cookie recipe which is now my favorite.  If you are not a fan of almond you can swap it out and just use all vanilla extract.  I don’t use the recipe for the frosting, just the sugar cookies.  I use Royal Icing for decorating.

This is the first cookie bouquet I’ve used with tissue paper … and I like it!  My friend liked her cookie bouquet … and purple is her favorite color.  Mix up a batch today, get your decorating tools out and make a friend smile!

Recipe Source:  food.com

Kittencal’s Buttery Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. For cookies; in a large bowl combine butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract; beat using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
2. In another bowl combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the butter mixture until well blended.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
4. Set oven to 400°F.
5. Line cookie shee
6. ts with parchment paper (do not grease cookie sheets use parchment paper only).
7. On a very lightly floured surface roll out the dough into about 1/4-inch thickness.
8. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
9. Place cookies 2-inches apart on cookie sheet.
10. Bake 4-6 minutes.

For the Love of Cinnamon … Cinnamon Rolls and a Culinary Secret You Don’t Want to Miss!

Are you ready for a secret that is life altering?  Quite possible it is not as big a secret as I think; but if you haven’t tried Vietnamese Cinnamon I urge you to try it immediately.  Your life with cinnamon will never be the same.  Once you taste Vietnamese Cinnamon you will never ever ever buy regular cinnamon again!  Some have compared it to the difference between drinking week old coffee and a fresh cup of Starbucks coffee.  All I can say is the taste of Vietnamese Cinnamon is truly outstanding and out of this world!  It sure rocked my world!  It is touted as the best in the world and I certainly agree.  I couldn’t find any at my local stores here in Ohio so I ordered it from Amazon.

These cinnamon rolls are over the top ridiculously good!  They are everything a cinnamon roll should be and topped with cream cheese frosting … WOW!  This is one recipe you don’t want to miss!  ENJOY!

There are a lot of recipes out there for cinnamon rolls and I found this one at http://picky-palate.com.  Take a look she has excellent step by step pictures.

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls…according to Picky Palate (and me!)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water 115 degrees F.
• 8 tablespoons (1 Stick) unsalted melted butter
• 3/4 cup warmed whole milk or heavy cream 115 degrees F.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups Gold Medal all purpose flour plus more for dusting counters
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cinnamon/Sugar Layer
• 8 tablespoons (1 Stick) unsalted softened butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground Vietnamese Cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (for buttering pan)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (for sprinkling over buttered pan)
• Frosting
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar

1. Place yeast and sugar into stand mixer then add warm water and gently stir. Let sit until yeast has doubled, about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter and warm milk. Add butter and milk mixture to yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment on low speed then add sugar and egg mixing until combined. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add 2 cups of flour mixture to the mixer at a time scraping sides of bowl, continuing to add remaining flour until the dough starts to clean sides of mixing bowl. Knead dough on low speed for 7 minutes. Place dough onto a floured counter and knead dough until it does not stick to your hands. Place dough into a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a barely warm oven for 45-60 minutes, until dough doubles in size.

2. Remove dough from bowl and place onto a floured counter top. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough into an approximate 14×19 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Spread softened butter over entire surface of dough. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over buttered dough. Starting at long end of dough, carefully roll into a log shape. Using dental floss or knife, cut rolls into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

3. Take 4 tablespoons softened butter and spread over 13×17 inch jelly roll pan lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper then sprinkle with brown sugar. Place 4 rolls per row close to each other, about 1/2 inch apart. Place into a barely warm oven (turn oven to warm for 5 minutes, then turn off right before placing rolls in oven to let rise) for 45-60 minutes or until rolls have doubled in size. Remove rolls from oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15-17 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and baked through. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Place cream cheese and butter into your clean stand mixer bowl and beat until smooth and combined. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved. I prefer 2-3 cups. Spread cream cheese frosting over warm rolls. Serve warm or let cool and enjoy room temperature. If serving the next day refrigerate then warm in the microwave individual rolls for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Do you love peanut butter so much that you take the entire jar and  a knife and sit down to eat it?!  I personally don’t do that … although I know some people who do.  But I do love peanut butter and especially with chocolate.  This is a new recipe I tried and I love it … I’ll be adding it to my list of cookies to make again!  If you  haven’t tried this cookie  yet and you like Reese’s peanut butter cup … you need to make this … now!  ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 36 mini peanut butter cups

 directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap the mini peanut butter cups and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add in the flour, salt and baking soda and mix until just combined. Roll the dough into small balls using about 1 Tbsp of dough each (should get around 36 balls). Place into mini muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Immediately press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Let them cool in pan completely before removing. (note: If they are still warm when you take them out of the pan, the cookie may fall apart.)

Recipe Source: www.whatmegansmaking.com

Candy Cane Fudge Kiss Cookies

This year it was time for me to mix it up and try some new Christmas cookie recipes.  I had to have chocolate .. and mint is a nice addition.  Besides tasting wonderfully delicious, these cookies are also pretty and festive to look at.  The dough requires chilling for a couple of hours … then into the oven they go.  An easy, delicious recipe … why not add them to your Christmas cookie repertoire?!

Candy Cane Fudge Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 cup confectioners sugar

40 candy cane white chocolate kisses

Preparation:

Melt chocolate chips, let cool and set aside.  Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl to blend.  In a separate bowl cream together butter and brown sugar using a mixer on medium speed until creamy.  Beat in eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate until combined.  Add dry ingredients into wet mixing until combined.  Stir in nuts.  Cover cookie dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a 1-inch ball.  Roll balls in confectioners sugar and place 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 12-14 minutes until cookies are set and tops are cracked.  Let sit for one minute and then gently press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie.  Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Storage tip:  Refrigerate in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.  Redust with confectioners sugar if needed.

Recipe Source:  EverydaySisters

Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing – Snowmen and Snowflakes

I baked and decorated a lot of sugar cookies this year!  I love the way sugar cookies look decorated with royal icing.  They can be elegant or whimsical and this sugar cookie recipe is so good!!  Not only does it taste fantastic but the dough is so easy to work with.  The cookies are baked at a high temperature for a short period of time so they don’t spread and lose their shape.

It’s hard to believe I started decorating cookies 2 years ago … time flies!  I’ve learned a lot about decorating, picked up valuable tips, and am much quicker since I first started decorating.  There are great sources of inspiration and tutorials on the internet.  A good place to start is here at The Sweet Adventures of Sugar Belle.  She has numerous tutorials and tips and is the “Queen of Sugar Cookies”!  Seriously, her cookies are amazing.

One of the best tips I picked up is that you don’t always have to make two consistencies of icing for flooding and piping,  And you do not have to wait to let the outline dry before flooding your cookie.  In fact, if after piping your outline and you flood your cookie immediately you create a seamless cookie which is much more attractive!  The more cookies you do, the better you get!  Go ahead … give it a try … you’ll love the results!

Let it Snow … Christmas Snowflake Sugar Cookies … Lavender, White and Blue

Chocolate Raspberry Danish – Dark and Decadent

Chocolate Raspberry Danish

Are you craving dark chocolate and do you want to make something that is quick and easy and filled with dark chocolate and topped with fresh raspberries?  Then … you need to make this now.  These danish are ridiculously easy and really good.  I rarely use “packaged” items such as crescent rolls and prefer to make everything from “scratch” … this is one exception.  Indulge and … ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 can crescent rolls
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Begin by combining the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and chocolate in a small bowl.
2. Roll the crescent roll dough out and press the perforations together.
3. Slice the dough into 8 equal squares.
4. Top each square with a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture.
5. Pile the raspberries on top of the cream cheese.
6. Fold the corners of the dough into the middle and place each pastry on a baking stone.
7. Place in the oven at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.