Frosted Sugar Cookie Bites

I'm a part of a great book club. We meet at a local coffee shop called Book Bums. While discussing our latest book, we usually get some tasty drink and enjoy some of the baked goods that they sell. Several months ago, I tried their little bag of sugar cookie bites. They have a name, but I can't remember what it is. What I do know is that these little cookies are delicious. I have spent many hours trying to recreate them. I haven't quite perfected the frosting, but I think the cookies are pretty darn close! Here's my knock-off recipe:

Sugar Cookie Bites

Ingredients:
1c. unsalted butter softened
2/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 c. flour

1. Combine butter and sugars.

2. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix well.

3. Add flour, salt and baking soda and mix.

4. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out dough into even balls and place on a cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 350F

update/Christmas Goodies

Our family has welcomed a new addition. That's right, I had our third boy just days before Thanksgiving. He's been a joy--besides those middle of the night times! ;) Thankfully, he's still in that teeny-tiny-sleeps-a-lot-of-the-time mode, so I've been able to make some goodies with the kiddos. Here's our Christmas goody menu:
Cut-out cookies

Gingerbread cookies

pretzel/rolo treats

Oreo truffles

Kool-Aid Cookies

Yesterday I read a book from start to finish--mostly during naptime, but a little bit after the kids were in bed for the night. It the latests from a fun series by Joanne Fluke, the Hannah Swensen Mysteries. Each book in the series has a handful of recipes sprinkled throughout the book, since the main character, Hannah, is the owner of a cookie shop. I've collected several of these books and checked the rest out from our local library. If you're looking for a fun read with a mysterious twist, I'd definitely recommend this series. This book, Apple Turnover Murder, had several recipes that I'm hoping to try. Today, I tried a fun cookie recipe, they call them Watermelon Cookies, but I'm adapting them. The watermelon flavor that the title they use refers to comes from Kool-Aid and I only had one packet of Kool-Aid on hand--Strawberry Kiwi. I plan to try these again with various flavors of Kool-Aid, so I decided to change the name. :) Here's their recipe, then I add a few comments at the end.

Kool-Aid Cookies (Watermelon Cookies)

Ingredients:

1 package (.17 oz) of Kool-Aid powder (the kind w/out the sugar added)
1 and 2/3 cup white sugar
1 and 1/4 cups softened butter (2 and 1/4 sticks)
2 large eggs, beaten (w/ a fork is fine)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups of all-purpose flour (pack it down when you measure it)

1/2 cup white sugar in a bowl

1. Mix the Kool-Aid with the white sugar
2. Add the softened butter and mix until it's fluffy
3. Add the eggs and mix well
4. Mix in the salt and baking soda and make sure they're well incorporated
5. Add the flour in half cup increments, mixing after each addition
6. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray or use parchment paper
*7. Roll dough balls one inch in diameter using your hands (or a cookie scoop about 2 tsp. size works well)
8. Roll the dough balls in the white sugar and place them on baking sheet
9. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes or until they're just beginning to turn golden around the edges--you don't want to overbake.
10. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 1-3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yields approx. 6 dozen cookies

* These can be made into cutout cookies at this step.

Just a couple notes:
~ I left mine on the cookie sheet to cool and they were fine.
~ I like my Kool-Aid a little strong and think these might be even better (although they are good, don't misunderstand!) if they had just a bit more of the Kool-Aid mix. Next time, I'm thinking of halving the recipe (6 dozen cookies is a lot!) but adding more than half of the Kool-Aid packet. I'll let you know how it turns out. :)

Recipe adapted from Joanne Fluke's Apple Turnover Murder, check her out at www.MurderSheBaked.com

Annie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I definitely thought that I had blogged about these cookies before, but I've scoured the posts and it's not there...if it is and I'm re-posting, I apologize. But you've got to try these cookies. I think they're single-handedly responsible for 8-10 of the 15 pounds I want to lose. They're thick and chewy--in fact that's what Annie calls them, Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies. The only place that I vary on her recipe is the size that she makes them. Because my toddler insists on having his own whole cookie, I make mine smaller--using the Pampered Chef medium scoop. I made them huge--the way the recipe calls for them--and my husband LOVED them that way, but my sweet son was getting WAY too much sugar or throwing a fit about not getting a whole cookie. Anyway, these are now a family favorite. Hope you enjoy!!



Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*

*I often put 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips in and only 1 cup of chocolate chips. We've tried it with white chocolate as well, but butterscotch is our family favorite.



Directions:
1. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. *this is where I just use the cookie scoop* Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.
7. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (approximately 11-14 minutes). Do not overbake.
8. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Peppermint Treats

I went to a fun cookie exchange last week and received these cookies. They were the first to go when I got home. We all loved them. This week, I will be attempting to make them myself. Beth said she got the recipe from the Taste of Home website under their contest winning recipes. I believe it! These are delish! :)

Chocolate Peppermint Treats

Cookie Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
½ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ c. flour
¾ c. baking cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

White Chocolate Frosting:
½ c. vanilla or white chips
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 c. confectioners’ sugar
½ c. crushed peppermint candies

1. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
3. In a microwave, melt vanilla chips at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring until smooth; cool.
4. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in melted chips.

5. Frost cookies; sprinkle with peppermint candies.

Makes approximately 6 ½ dozen

This yummy recipe is from Beth Amstutz. :)

Snickerdoodles/Christmas-doodles

I'm making the Christmas variation of these for a cookie exchange on Tuesday...maybe I'll remember to post some pics when I make them!

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup shortening
2 large eggs
2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Beat 1 ½ cups sugar, the butter, shortening, and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, or mix with a spoon
3. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt
4. Shape dough into 1 ¼ inch balls (I use my Pampered chef medium scoop and do not over-fill)
5. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet
6. Bake 8-10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Christmas variation:
Christmas-doodles
Follow steps 1-4, then roll dough in green or red sprinkles for step 5, continue on with step 6.

Ginger Cookies

Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening (or 1/2 cup shortening and 1/4 cup butter)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 molasses

2 cups flour

1 Tb ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt


1. Mix wet ingredients first.
2. Then mix in dry ingredients.
3. Form into small balls and roll in sugar.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees.

This recipe was passed on to me from the wonderful Bethanie May Cooke! :)

Sugar Cookies/Cut-Out Cookies

I know it may be a little early to start thinking about holiday baking, but I LOVE baking, so it's never too early in my book! My friend, Jen, gave me this recipe and it makes cookies like my mom used to make. (I can't her recipe-must have lost it!) I love them. I might make some turkeys w/ Jon one day soon. If I do, I'll post some cute pics of my little helper--he loves "cooking in the kitchen with Mom." I haven't found a frosting recipe that I love, so please share yours with me. I'm always up for trying new things. :) Thanks! Enjoy!

Cut-Out Cookies

prep time: 10 minutes + at least 1 hour of 'chill time' + 10-20 minutes of cutting out cookies
bake time: 8-10 minutes each

Ingredients:
1c. margarine
2 eggs
2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. flour

Combine margarine, sugar, salt, eggs and vanilla in a bowl and beat with mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add flour and mix well. Divide in half. Form each half into a ball and wrap in waxed paper. Chill in refrigerator at least one hour - you can do it overnight too. Roll out 1/8 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. (Lightly flour board or counter and rolling pin to prevent sticking.*) Bake on greased cookie sheet one inch apart at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Frost with icing or sprinkle with colored sugar.
This makes about 4 cookie sheets worth of cookies--I know that's a vague way to describe the amount, but I figured no matter what size your cookie cutters, you're all using approximately the same sized cookie sheets right??

From Jen Hooper

*My mother in law got me a thin fabric cover for my rolling pin and a pastry cloth sheet that I use--it's wonderful. I still use flour on it, but then I shake it out and throw it in the washer. I highly recommend them. They also help if you make pie crusts from scratch--although I must confess, I usually just by the Pillsbury ones now!! (time is money people!!)