"The Recipe"

My at-most favorite recipe for decorated cookies is a Butter Cookie Dough. For me, it comes out perfect every time, tastes great, and is so easy to work with. I love to "jazz up" (change/add things) recipes to make them one of a kind and well, just because I like to. This is the ONE recipe, I don't change, add, or subtract...it's perfect. The picture to the right was for a 50th wedding anniversary. I used this dough and royal icing. Let me tell you, royal icing...whole other post (watch for it).

Tips about this recipe:

*Makes about 32 3-inch cookies

*Make about 28 4-inch cookies

*The dough will puff up, so roll the dough thin

*Double batch=ok

*Half batch=ok

*Bake time 12 minutes- is always perfect (ovens will vary-if using a stone may need longer)

*When the cookies are done (cooked through) they crackle (I LOVE that sounds)

*A MUST: refrigerate the dough before you roll it AND before you put tray in oven

Ready? Here it is...

Butter Cookie Dough

1 cup salted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 Tablespoons whipping cream

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract (yes, Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups unbleached/regular flour

1  1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixer (using paddle attachment) combine butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, cream, vanilla, and almond extract all at once and throughly blend. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and baking soda (I never sift). Add dry ingredients to the wet ones and blend (I add the dry in 1/3, and it WILL create a puff cloud, so be careful. At this point, it can be hard for your mixer to mix, on a higher speed, pulse until completely combined. Look at the bottom of the bowl for dough balls-those are bad, you don't want them to stay that way...keep pulsing) Refrigerate for about an hour, longer if possible. Roll out to desired thickness about 1/4 inch or so and cut with cutters. Place on silicone mat (on baking sheet), place in fridge for at least 15 minutes. Place in oven and bake for 8-12 minutes (do NOT touch them until they've cooled for about 5 minutes). Take them off the tray and place on cooling rack (I use wax paper sometimes). 

I'll be posting my Valentine's Day cookies soon (I gotta what a little longer). I'll be building ideas and topics based off this recipe. So give it a try, and let me know if you have any issues.

Good Luck! 

 

Uhhhhhhh

I'm a part time teacher, and I absolutely LOVE my job. I go in at 10:00 and leave around 3:00, and the pay is pretty decent. As my dad would say, "You should write a book" of the funny, sad, and emotional stories I experience on a daily basis. Without further adieu, here's a quite funny story...

The other day, I was reviewing a ton of content (vocabulary, etc.), to help my students with their upcoming mid-term. Background: MANY teacher don't do this, but I think it's important. I always look around to my students to make sure they are paying attention AND the latest; to watch for them listening to their IPOD's. They try to hide the earphone cords behind hair, clothes, or even turning their head to the side (yes, I know what your thinking). So, I'm reviewing (something they all should be thankful for) and I look over at a freshman girl in the FRONT row with her eyes closed, lip singing, and bobbing her head. "What the hell?" I thought to myself. I look at her and make eye contact, "What are you doing?" no response, but at this point the other students are laughing (which is exactly the attention she wanted) . She looks around, pushes her hair aside, pulls her earphone out and replies, "uhhhhhh?"

At this point, I was holding back laughter....sometimes these kids crack me up. This is why I love my job, because this is what I deal with.

Scoops?

Hot Tip: Ice cram scoops aren't just for ice cream these days. I use these multi-useful tools for scooping cake dough for cupcakes! It helps keep all of the cupcakes a similar size. I use my cookie scoops for mini cupcakes. Make sure you use a scoop like this one. The hook wipes the scoop clean so every drop is used. Another idea...use it for icing (cookie or ice cream scoop). For those of you who LOVE frosting, it's an easy way to sure the same amount either sky high, or just enough.

So make your ice cream scoop a multi-useful tool today!

First Things First!

Welcome to the place were the blonde runs the kitchen, well, maybe, umm, attempts to take over the oven. I'm confident in myself and so should you! I love trying new things....baking and cooking (but I bake so much better-my fiance would agree). So let's hear it!

I've been playing (pretend) bakery owner for two years. I specialize in cookies, cupcakes, and cakes (in the very order). I'll post things as I go and some older projects. Again, I'm a blonde who likes to have fun! I'm always learning. So, if you have any baking questions....send them my way. I'd be happy to help.