I just got these recipes out to start some holiday baking. These are tried and true recipes, so I thought I'd share them with all you nice people here. I hope you like them!
Best! Make These! Sugar Cookies
by SwampWitch
These cookies are perfect for cutting into shapes for holiday decorating. They are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. They won't break even if you make oversized cookies. They are very tasty and not overly sweet, so the sweet icing adds just the right touch. Don't make this recipe unless you have corn syrup!
3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, large
1 Tablespoon corn syrup, light
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt, and in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Mix in egg, vanilla, and corn syrup. Add half the flour mixture, mix, then the other half. STOP when the flour is just mixed in.
If you have parchment paper, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness between two pieces, and refrigerate one-half hour. Remove top paper, cut shapes, remove extra dough, and leave cookies on parchment to bake.
If you don't have parchment paper, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for one to two hours. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick between waxed paper. Cut out shapes and transfer to cookie sheet. (Do not grease.)
Preheat 375 F degrees oven for one-half hour. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Top with Cookie Frosting OR Decorating Icing below.
Cookie Frosting (forms a light crust, not great for stacking, but very yummy)
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (also called icing sugar or powdered sugar)
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons milk
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except milk at low speed until it reaches spreading consistency. Add a little sugar, or a little milk if necessary, until texture is soft but firm.
Decorating Icing (dries smooth and hard)
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (also called icing sugar or powdered sugar)
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon corn syrup, light
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract OR 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Combine all ingredients and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add a little more water if needed. Continue beating until icing is of right consistency for piping. Use half for outlining cookies, then mix in a little more water, a teaspoon at a time, if you want "flooding" icing to fill the inside of the outline.
The Best of All Chocolate Chip Cookies
by SwampWitch
This is my own chocolate chip cookies recipe, fine-tuned after many batches. The whole wheat flour adds a nice flavor and texture, and the bitterness of the walnuts complements the sweetness in the cookies. These cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle, if you don't over mix (or over cook) them.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, large
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Mix flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl, adding eggs one at a time. Add half the flour mixture, mix, then the other half. STOP when the flour is just mixed in! (Over mixing will give you a cake-like texture.)
Preheat 375 F degrees oven for one-half hour. Bake cookies for approximately 9 minutes, until browning at the edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Best! Make These! Sugar Cookies
by SwampWitch
These cookies are perfect for cutting into shapes for holiday decorating. They are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. They won't break even if you make oversized cookies. They are very tasty and not overly sweet, so the sweet icing adds just the right touch. Don't make this recipe unless you have corn syrup!
3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, large
1 Tablespoon corn syrup, light
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt, and in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Mix in egg, vanilla, and corn syrup. Add half the flour mixture, mix, then the other half. STOP when the flour is just mixed in.
If you have parchment paper, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness between two pieces, and refrigerate one-half hour. Remove top paper, cut shapes, remove extra dough, and leave cookies on parchment to bake.
If you don't have parchment paper, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for one to two hours. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick between waxed paper. Cut out shapes and transfer to cookie sheet. (Do not grease.)
Preheat 375 F degrees oven for one-half hour. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Top with Cookie Frosting OR Decorating Icing below.
Cookie Frosting (forms a light crust, not great for stacking, but very yummy)
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (also called icing sugar or powdered sugar)
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons milk
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except milk at low speed until it reaches spreading consistency. Add a little sugar, or a little milk if necessary, until texture is soft but firm.
Decorating Icing (dries smooth and hard)
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (also called icing sugar or powdered sugar)
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon corn syrup, light
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract OR 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Combine all ingredients and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add a little more water if needed. Continue beating until icing is of right consistency for piping. Use half for outlining cookies, then mix in a little more water, a teaspoon at a time, if you want "flooding" icing to fill the inside of the outline.
The Best of All Chocolate Chip Cookies
by SwampWitch
This is my own chocolate chip cookies recipe, fine-tuned after many batches. The whole wheat flour adds a nice flavor and texture, and the bitterness of the walnuts complements the sweetness in the cookies. These cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle, if you don't over mix (or over cook) them.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, large
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Mix flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl, adding eggs one at a time. Add half the flour mixture, mix, then the other half. STOP when the flour is just mixed in! (Over mixing will give you a cake-like texture.)
Preheat 375 F degrees oven for one-half hour. Bake cookies for approximately 9 minutes, until browning at the edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
