My favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe

My Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe

Last Fall, I bought a cookie press with the image of a Skeleton. I searched for a good Sugar Cookie recipe. It was tough to find one that wouldn't melt/spread as it baked-thus losing the image.

Skeleton Sugar cookies

I tried various recipes. To my disappointment, in order to get the image I had to sacrifice taste. While the skeleton image is cool- I still wanted a yummy cookie.  Later, for the Christmas season, I held two cookie baking parties and again we experimented with Sugar Cookie recipes.  This time the goal was not about the press but merely something the kids could decorate and be tasty. 

I was satisfied but still not in love with the cookies. (oh and let's not forget Frosting. I'm always looking for a good frosting recipe!)

Then, I went to brunch where I was lucky enough to sit across someone who worked in a bakery. (I could not WAIT to talk to her about baking! It's fascinating to me and I was excited to pick her brains!

But back to the sugar cookies. She said I should look for a Cream Cheese Cookie recipe. She said that's what they always use at her bakery. oooh I dashed home to look it up.
I found this recipe:

cream-cheese-sugar-cookies

The website not only covered this delicious (and EASY) cookie recipe but it also contains the best Royal Icing recipe (ALSO easy) I have ever found.

Here are the cookie ingredients and directions:

Dough

• 1 cup soft butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 3½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Blend butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and egg. Mix in remaining dry ingredients and blend into the creamed mixture. Chill for 1 hour. Roll out dough on floured surface until ¼ inches thick (a must!) Cut with desired cookie cutter shape and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool.

Here are the icing ingredients and directions.

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons soft butter

¼ tsp almond extract

Milk to desired consistency

1. Mix all your frosting ingredients and add some food coloring if desired. For these apple cookies, I used Wilton's Leaf Green and Red Icing colors. Frost cookies when cool. Add any desired decorations. I used some red sanding sugar on the red frosting.

(I didn't use food coloring as directed from the original website-she was creating apples and I wanted fluffy white clouds and a white frosting under the sprinkles. You can certainly add any color you wish to match whatever shape you cut out!)

I hope you will try these cookies. I have made them twice now and can not stop myself from eating them!!!  

These cookies are from my daughter's 4th birthday. The theme was My Little Pony. The Cloud cookies were my favorite though she loved the ones with the sprinkles!  (something for everyone!)

This recipe is easy, delicious AND holds it's shape. No melting or spreading as you bake. They are truly my favorite sugar cookie recipe. Do you have another Sugar cookie recipe? I'd love to share!! 

Happy Baking!

Zu-Corny Biscuits via Trader Joe's Cookbook

Did you know there are SEVERAL cookbooks out that feature food from Trader Joe's? Many books will tell you what to buy at their fun store and then how to turn those into a yummy meal, snack, sandwich or even something to pack for lunch!

I found this book:  Trader Joe's Pack a Lunch at the library. Hmmmmmm I love Trader Joe's (though I sure wish they had a location closer to us-both locations take planning to go there.)

I found a recipe called "Zu-Corny Biscuits"   As in-Zucchini and Corn Biscuits. Wow! This combines three things that I love: Zucchini, Corn and baking biscuits!!

Gotta try this!

 Dry mix

Grate zucchini and add it into the "wet" mixture

Wet and dry combined.

Here's a video of me showing the various ingredients:

(And the Book!)

Before I pop them into the oven.

Tips- make sure you have the correct oven temperature! I had the oven set at 350 degrees. However, the recipe calls for 400!  It took twice as long! I couldn't figure out WHY they weren't getting done.

Oh! Yeah, read the recipe!

Here is one of the Zu-corny Biscuits. They have been an easy, take along type snack the past two days. I think I will make it again and if so I will: 

1. Get the cheese recommended in the recipe. Muenster is too mild and the flavor is completely lost.

2. Use more onions, more zucchini and more kale. And more corn too! I would definitely UP the veggie factor. 

These are fast and easy to make and would be PERFECT for a brunch or work event. You can easily make them ahead of time (but let's face it who doesn't love that "hot out of the oven" taste? 

They keep well and would definitely work well packed for lunch. (I should know! I packed two for myself at work!!)  

Hope you try this recipe. 

:)