Posts tagged Cookies

These cookies would be great for a bridal shower.

Shortbread  Recipe:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup  powdered (confectioners) sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup  powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted

Directions :
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

When dough is firm, form into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 12 - 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper. Sprinkle about half of the confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar onto the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar. Put the remaining sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies (or you can just roll the cookies in the sugar).

These cookies store very well. Place in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper and they will keep a couple of weeks.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

*Photo Credit: YummyCorner

Cookies that look like mini cakes?  Uh, where do we sign up?  These cute confections are perfect for an afternoon shower, post brunch or as gifts when wrapped in pretty boxes or clear bags with ribbons.

(Source: zazzle.com)

This cookie gift bag is so cute. Simply display a platter of them for your guests to take when they leave. For these designs, you can print directly on the bag. Just change the printer settings to use a 5×7 piece of paper. If that won’t work for you, you can always print them on labels, and cut them out. I like these labels.

Here are the supplies:

*  5×7 Kraft paper bags

*  Skewers. You could also use toothpicks, and little food picks, but I like how thick the skewers are.

*  Enjoy! design  (Download)

*  Bag design   (Download)

*  Tape Runner Have you guys ever used this? It’s the best thing ever, if you don’t have that, you can use a glue stick.

*  Plastic Baggies

*  Scissors

*  Exacto Knife

Put between one and three cookies into some plastic baggies. After you have printed out the bag design either directly onto your bags, or onto labels to put on your bags, put the cookies into it. Fold over the bag top a couple of times and give it a nice crease. Then take your enjoy! labels, and run the tape runner along the back, at the end of the design. Simply wrap the design around the skewer pressing the paper together to create a flag. Then snip of about 3.5 inches of the skewer. Once you have done that use your exacto knife to cut two small slits into the bag, all the way through for your flag. Insert your flag into the slits and you’re done!

* Photo credit: Spoon, Fork Bacon

If you’ve never tried snowdrop cookies before they’re like shortbread only flakier, nuttier and completely covered in powdered sugar.  Totally addicting.  To make this version unique I’ve included cardamom, one of my favorite spices.  If you’ve never tried this spice before it’s something not to be missed: spicy, exotic and unlike any other flavor.  It really takes these cardamom snowdrop cookies over the top!  I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I did.

Cardamom Snowdrop Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon cardamom (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and vanilla for several minutes until light and fluffy.

Sift the flour and salt together.

Turn the mixer speed down to low and slowly add the almond meal followed by the flour. Scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure the dough is evenly mixed.

Use a teaspoon-sized scoop to measure out cookies. Use your hands to roll each cookie into a ball (don’t skip this step or the final product won’t look as nice!)

Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes. While the cookies are baking, sift together the topping ingredients in a bowl.

Remove the cookies from the oven. While they’re still warm, carefully coat each cookie in the sugar cardamom mixture and set aside to cool. Once the cookies have cooled (about 15-20 minutes), toss them again in the sugar mixture.

* Recipe Credit: Savory Simple

(Source: zazzle.com)

These cookies really are just a couple of bites of apple pie, complete with real pie crust. So cute too. Imagine eating a piece of apple pie. If you think about the last inch or so of pie, where the ratio of filling to crust shifts so that you’re eating slightly more crust than filling, that’s what these cookies taste like. To me, that’s the sweet spot of the pie.

The cookies taste best when they’re fresh, but just like an apple pie, they still taste great a day later.

 

Apple Pie Cookies

Yield: about 20 cookies

To assemble:

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands
• 1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces

Directions

If you’re looking to impress your guests, these cookies are the choice for you!  Would you believe me if I told you that these cookies are extremely easy to decorate?  It only takes 3 colors of royal icing (red, white and pink) in 3 squeeze bottles and a handful of toothpicks. Squeeze bottles are available at craft stores such as Michael or you can find them on Amazon. An off-set spatula to spread the icing is also helpful. (Cookie and icing recipes are after photos).

To create the marble hearts, you simply flood the cookie with the royal icing and then quickly dot the background with another color.  While it’s still wet, run a toothpick through the dots and they magically become hearts!  Below is a quick photo tutorial on how to create the marble hearts on the cookies…

…and then a few photos on how to create the tie-dyed look.

For more detailed instructions, visit Karen’s Cookie blog.

A few more helpful hints:

Make sure you are working one or two cookies at a time so that the icing is still wet. This causes the different colors to set into each other for flat results. 

It helps to keep the bottles tipped upside down in glasses so they are ready to go.

Keep paper towels nearby to wipe your toothpick(s) after each use. 

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar (or granulated sugar processed in food processor for 30 seconds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a bowl cream together the butter, sugar and salt at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg yolk and beat until fully incorporated.  Mix in the whole egg, vanilla and optional almond extract.  Beat until full mixed.  Add the flour, then beat at low speed just until combined.  Be careful to not over-mix.  Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap.  Store in fridge until firm, at least one hour and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 375˚F.  On a floured work surface, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick, sprinkling with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.  Use cookies cutters to cut into shapes and place on parchment or silicone-lined pans.  Bake until cookies appear dry on the surface and are light golden brown on the edges, about 10 minutes (or a few more for larger cookies).   Let sit for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets.  Allow to cool completely on cooling racks before decorating.

Royal Icing 

3 tablespoons meringue powder
4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar
6+ tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional

Beat all ingredients together until stiff peaks form (about 10 minutes).  Divide into separate containers, depending on how many colors you plan to use.  Mix in food coloring.  Add water to thin each color out so that when it runs off the spoon it quickly dissolves back into the remaining icing within 10 seconds.  Add powdered sugar if need to thicken.  Pour into squeeze bottles and decorate cookies.

* Recipe Source:  Karen’s Cookies

* Photo Credits: Pennies On a Platter

(Source: zazzle.com)

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package fudge cake mix
• 3 tablespoons shortening, melted
• 1/2 cup cake flour, measured then sifted
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons water
• nonstick cooking spray

• 3 (12 ounce) bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 6 tablespoons shortening

Step 2   Make Dough

Combine chocolate wafer ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. You may need to get your hands in there!

On a surface lightly dusted with flour, shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter.

Step 3 Freeze Dough

Wrap in plastic wrap, waxed paper or parchment and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm and can be sliced into wafers.

Step 4  Bake

Preheat oven to 375F.

Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

These cookies are firm and will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Step 5 Prepare Coating

Combine chocolate chips with peppermint extract and shortening in a large microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl.

Heat on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir gently, then heat for an addition minute.

Stir once again, and if chocolate is not a smooth consistency, continue to nuke in 30-second intervals until smooth.

Step 6  Dip

Use a fork to dip each wafer in the chocolate.

Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl so that the excess chocolate runs off, and then place the cookies side-by-side on a wax paper-lined baking sheet.

Refrigerate until firm.

These taste best after they’ve been refrigerated for a day, but of course, I recommend trying some now, and saving some for the next day so you can be properly assured of this.

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or two.  Or freeze them for up to a month! They’re great right out of the freezer too.  But once they’re in the open air, they will start to melt.

*Recipe & Photo Credits: Instructables

(Source: zazzle.com)

Wouldn’t these cookies be cute at a bridal shower or as part of a wedding reception dessert table?

This cross stitch cookie idea is super easy and works with any cross-stitch pattern. Just be sure to map out your pattern on paper beforehand!

Click Here for the Spiced Graham Squares Recipe and Full Tutorial

(Source: zazzle.com)

How cute are these bridal shower and engagement party cookies?

Chocolate Covered Biscotti

Bridal Calendar Cookies

Photo Credits: Haniela’s food blog.

(Source: zazzle.com)

From this

To This

Aren’t these Melamine plate cookie stands simply adorable? I think they would be fun for a bridal shower or a birthday party.  

And best of all they are simple to make. For easy step by step DIY instructions CLICK HERE

Photo Credits: Something Simple

(Source: zazzle.com)

Recipe

2 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup  powdered sugar

8 oz butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp water

1 cup pecans, chopped fine

1 cup extra powdered sugar for rolling/dusting

Heat oven to 325°F.

Place the butter in a large bowl and beat for 30 seconds. Add half of the flour, powdered sugar, vanilla, and water. Beat until blended then beat in the rest of the flour. Stir in the nuts.

Pluck & Roll the Dough

Pinch off dough and form 1-inch diameter balls

Squash into fat Discs

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. 

When you bake the cookies, I suggest selecting a few sacrificial lambs because underbaking leaves the center a little doughy and overbaking dries the whole thing out. As the bottoms turn golden, break one open to check how done it is. It’s a pretty forgiving cookie, so don’t worry too much.

Remove from baking sheet and cool on cooking rack.

When cookies are cooled, roll in powdered sugar. Makes 36 cookies.

Roll in powdered sugar

(Source: zazzle.com)

I found this amazingly simple recipe while snooping around on the back of a Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix (17.5 oz pouch). If you know how to ice a cookie and are a pro at making polka dots, serve these at your next bridal shower or use as a heartfelt edible wedding centerpiece. Another idea is to make some cookies put them into cellephone bags, tie with a ribbon and hand out as wedding favors.

Heat oven to 375 degrees (or 350 for dark or non-stick pan). Make cookie mix as directed—except decrease softened butter to 1/3 cup and stir in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour with the cookie mix. Roll dough on floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutter. (Keep remaining dough covered while rolling and cutting first batch of cookies.) Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake as directed above. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. Cool completely, Frost and decorate as desired.


Easy Royal Icing Recipe (that hardens and shines)

3 egg whites
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. almond extract or white vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in bowl and beat on medium high for a full 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy but will not increase in volume. Keep covered with damp cloth while using, removing small portions to bowl as needed. Tint if desired. To thin, add a few drops of water. Royal icing hardens with a nice sheen.