Do your friends ever say you are a horrible cook or that you could not bake to save your life? Fear not; this simple recipe will be sure to make them think otherwise, and these cookies will score you “brownie points” with your significant other. If you don’t have a current partner, get some friends together and decorate to your heart’s content with fun frosting and sprinkles.
Sugar Cookies
Prep: 30 to 45 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes (if necessary)
Bake: Seven minutes per batch
Oven: 375?F
Yields about 35 to 40 cookies
Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
One teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
One egg
One to three tablespoons milk (for runnier icing, use more milk)
Two cups all purpose flour
Food coloring
One teaspoon vanilla extract
One cup powdered sugar
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking power and salt. Beat until combined, occasionally scraping sides of bowl. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or until it is easier to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface roll half the dough at a time until one-eighth inch thick. Using various cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet one inch apart.
3. Bake for seven to eight minutes or until edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
4. For icing, add one cup powdered sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Then add one tablespoon of milk at a time while constantly beating with a mixer until a desired consistency is reached. For thicker icing add milk slowly. Separate into bowls and add desired food coloring.
Tips:
1. Use toothpicks with the icing to add finer details to decorations
2. Apply a variety of sprinkles from colored sugar crystals to M&Ms or Mike & Ikes. Be creative.
3. Spell sayings out with the cookies for your sweetheart
4. Add a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the dough early on to spice up flavor. Or add cocoa powder to the icing mix for the chocolate lovers.
5. Finally, presentation is everything. Place finished cookies on a nice platter and wrap with cellophane and ribbons if they are being transported.