...so here they are! These are recipes I often make at Christmas, but the majority can be baked any time. The sugar cookies are definitely great for cutouts, and, with Valentine's Day coming up, you could make heart shaped cookies. Send me a message on Twitter if you have any questions. Enjoy!
Sugar Cookies
1-½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1-cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream sugar and butter, then add egg and flavourings. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into sugar mixture. Chill in the fridge 3+ hours. Flour a board, a rolling pin, and cutters. Roll to about 1/4" thickness. Cut out shapes; you can reuse dough that is left over by rolling two more times. After that discard any leftovers, as the dough will be hard. Place on baking sheet for 7-8 minutes and watch carefully. Leave on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.
Gingerbread Cookies
1 cup shortening (2/3 Crisco, 1/3 butter)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-cup molasses (blackstrap if possible, or any dark molasses)
2 Tbsps vinegar
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2-3 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream sugar and shortening mixture together.Stir in egg, molasses, and vinegar. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into sugar mixture. Chill in the fridge 3+ hours. Flour a board, a rolling pin, and cutters. Roll to about 1/4" thickness. out shapes; you can reuse dough that is left over by rolling two more times. After that discard any leftovers, as the dough will be hard. Bake 5-6 minutes and watch carefully. Leave on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.
Poppyseed Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp each vanilla and almond extracts
Topping:
1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
¼ tsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp orange juice
¼ tsp each vanilla and almond extracts
For cookies, in medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in poppy seeds. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, using electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in eggs, juice, and extracts. Divide dough into 3 discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate to firm up, at least 30 minutes.
Line baking sheet with parchment. On lightly floured surface or between sheets of plastic wrap, roll out a dough disc to about ¼ inch thickness. Punch-out with 2-¾ inch round, serrated cookie cutter. Place rounds 2 inches apart of prepared baking sheet. Reroll or refrigerate any remaining dough as needed.
Bake in centre of 350 F preheated oven until golden at edges, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile for topping, stir together ingredients in small bowl. Remove cookies from oven and immediately brush on topping. Let sit 1 minutes before moving to rack to cool completely.
28 cookies.
Lemongrass-ginger cookies
½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp each of lemongrass and ginger pastes
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
icing sugar for dusting
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in egg and two pastes. In medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients. In two additions, beat flour mixture into butter until just mixed. Drop by tablespoons two inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 F for 7-8 minutes or until just set. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, transfer to rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Makes 24.
