Sugar Cookies
Is there anything more fun than playing with
cookie dough and decorating it with crazy colors?
Making these sugar cookies could be an amazing
first-time experience for your younger kids, and
bring back plenty of fond memories for parents.
ICING
2 cups confectioners
sugar
2 Tbsp and 2 tsp warm
water
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 or 3 drops food
coloring (optional)
Colored sugars, sprin-
kles, and/or candies
for decorating
INGREDIENTS
COOKIE DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour,
plus more for rolling
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted
butter, at room
temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
PREPARATION
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream
the butter and sugar on medium speed, about
3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down
the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and
vanilla and beat on medium speed until blended.
Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed
until blended. The dough will look lumpy, like
moist pebbles.
Place the dough onto a work surface and work
together into a solid mound. Divide in half. Press
each pile into a flat disk. Wrap each disk in plastic
wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.
Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Unwrap 1
chilled batch of dough and place on the floured
surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little more
flour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it
is about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle more flour under
and over the dough as needed so it doesn’t stick.
Cut shapes out of the dough with a round cookie
cutter and set on a greased baking sheet. Repeat
with the remaining dough.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F until light
brown around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow
to cool on a wire rack.
In a bowl, use a whisk or an electric mixer on
medium-low speed to beat the confectioner’s
sugar, warm water, and corn syrup until smooth.
Add the food coloring. You can divide the icing
among 2 or 3 small bowls and make each one a
different color by adding a few drops of food col-oring
to each bowl. Decorate the cookies using
colored sugars, sprinkles and/or candies. Makes
about 36 cookies.
89
Apple Pie Mug Cake
This one is perfect for a cold February day. The warm cinnamon apple smell of
these mug cakes fills the room as soon as you take them out of the microwave.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUMBLE
¼ cup margarine or butter
(melted)
½ cup quick oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
PREPARATION
FOR THE FILLING
2 apples, cut in
small cubes
¼ cup graham
crumbs
¼ cup walnuts
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
A drop of lemon
juice
Combine the crumble ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the ingre-dients
for the apple filling. Divide the apple filling mixture among two mugs, and
then top with the crumble. Microwave for 3 minutes. For a final touch, top the mugs
with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and it’s ready to eat!
Fudgy S’mores Brownies
Is it even Valentine’s Day without chocolate? These delicious treats combine
the flavors of s’mores and brownies to give you one irresistible snack.
INGREDIENTS
18 graham crackers,
finely crushed
1 ¾ cup butter
2 cups and 2 Tbsp sugar
of sugar
4 eggs
4 ounces semisweet
chocolate squares
melted
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup of cocoa powder
1 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chocolate candy
melts
PREPARATION
Melt ¾ cup of the butter in a small saucepan. Add the graham crackers and 2
tablespoons of sugar. Stir until combined. Press the mixture into a parchment-lined
9x9-inch pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for approximately 8 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the remaining butter and the 2
cups of sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing as you go. Add in the melted
chocolate squares and mix. Add the vanilla. Slowly add cocoa powder, flour and salt,
continuing to mix. Add the chocolate chips. Pour the batter on the graham cracker
crust. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Add the mini marshmallows
on top for the last five minutes of baking time. Remove from the oven.
Melt the candy melts according to package directions. Place them in a piping
bag and pipe them over the brownies.
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