The Baker's Daughter

Belly laughing snowmen sugar cookies

 

I love these little dudes, they look like they're belly laughing (either that or they have a belly ache). I made these Christmas sugar cookie snowmen at work today and iced them with royal icing.

Disco Christmas

A few of the funky Christmas sugar cookies I made at work the other day.

Accidently On Purpose

 

As I was frantically icing cookies this afternoon at work I accidentally mixed two types of sprinkles together but I think it actually looks really good!

 

Orange Shortbread Wedges

Incredibly easy to make and they make such an impact!  These Orange Shortbread Wedges are crispy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside.  You can make these as large or as small as you like, just modify the size of the ball of dough you start with.  Baking times will vary depending on the size you make these.  I like to dip the ends in chocolate and then decorate with dragées or sprinkles or drizzle with white chocolate.  These make a great gift, just place the wedges in a circle on a plate, wrap tightly with saran wrap and decorate with a ribbon!

Orange Shortbread Wedges

1 lb butter, softened

1 cup icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp orange zest

pinch of salt

Chocolate to dip

Sprinkles or dragées to decorate

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line your baking pans with parchment paper.

Using a mixer cream together the butter and icing sugar.  After the butter and icing sugar has mixed for a few minutes add the vanilla and orange zest.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until incorporated.  Whisk the salt into the flour and gradually add to the butter mixture. 

Using the dough immediately so it doesn't dry out, sprinkle your surface with flour.  Take a fist sized amount of dough and form into a disk.  Flatten the disk out further by gently rolling with a rolling pin until the dough is about a 1/2 inch thick.  Using a pallet knife or other sharp knife, mark out the 8 wedges and cut.  Place on a baking pan and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.

Once cooled, dip the ends in chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate or top with sprinkles.

Gingersnaps

Well there are 34 days until Christmas, I know this because I overheard the man at Home Outfitter say so in a slightly panicked voice.  I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet and am myself starting to panic slightly, mainly because I hate crowds and wish I could just get organized now and avoid the Christmas rush later.  One thing I am not panicked about is my Christmas baking, which has gotten into full swing at work.  These gingersnaps are a top seller both at Christmas and during the rest of the year.  There are about ten million different sprinkles and other decorating options, which is really great for Christmas time baking because you can make one recipe look like you've been baking all day!  The photo on top is a gingersnap decorated with Royal Icing.  I will get that recipe ready along with a sugar cookie recipe and post it later this week.  

Gingersnaps

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup fancy molasses

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups white sugar to roll dough in

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line your baking trays with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer, a hand mixer or a large bowl and spatula, combine the butter and white sugar.  Mix until incorporated and add the eggs one at a time.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix to combine.  Add the molasses and mix in well. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda. 

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed. 

Chill the dough for at least one hour.

Place your sugar in a large bowl and using your hands roll the dough into tbsp sized balls.  Toss in the white sugar and place on the baking trays.  (If you wish toss the gingersnaps in colored sugar, or sprinkles at this point.  You may also roll the dough in the white sugar and then place patterned sprinkles such as snowflakes or holly on top.  You may also at this point place a candied cherry or gumdrop in the center of the cookie).

If rolling the dough and using cutouts, lightly flour your board and a piece of dough.  Roll the dough out to 1/4 of an inch.  (If you are using the dough for cutout cookies be aware that the dough expands significantly and will not hold the form perfectly). 

Bake for 8 minutes, until golden brown.

Let cool and decorate with Royal Icing if desired.

 

 

Cranberry, white chocolate and pecan cookies

This recipe is from Nigella Lawson's, "Nigella Christmas" and can be found at TheStar.com.  I varied the recipe by making the cookies bigger and making ice cream sandwiches out of them.  In order to do this I used 1/4 cup of dough and baked them for approximately 15-20 minutes.  I found it easier to spread the ice cream after it had sat out of the freezer for about 5 minutes.

Cranberry, white chocolate and pecan cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup plus 1 tsp butter

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

1 cup rolled oats

½ tsp baking powder

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pecans

3/4 cup white chocolate

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In medium bowl, using a stand or hand mixer beat the butter and sugars until creamy, approximately for 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and rolled oats.  Add flour mixture gradually, blending thoroughly. Stir in cranberries, pecans and chocolate.

Roll tablespoonfuls (or 1/4 of a cup) of dough into balls with hands.

Bake until the cookies are pale golden brown and cookies are soft, 12 to 15 minutes (cook for 15-20 minutes for the larger sized cookies).

If making ice cream sandwiches, let the cookies cool fully before spreading the softened ice cream.  Freeze until you are ready to use them. 

 

Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon and sugar are a classic flavour combination and these cookies are a great platform for both.  The crunch of the sugar is so addicting and you’ll be hooked on these easy to bake cookies as soon as you try them.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cream of tartar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon and sugar to roll

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.  Add the vanilla. 

Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar and add gradually to the butter mixture.  Roll into balls and toss in the cinnamon sugar. 

Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned.

Recipe variation

To mix it up a bit you can roll the cookies in a different way.  Take two pieces of parchment paper and lay one piece on a flat surface.  Take approximately 1 1/2 cups of cookie dough and shape into a square.  Place the other piece of parchment over the dough and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is the thickness you desire (I rolled mine out to about 1/4 of an inch).  Remove the top piece of parchment and sprinkle the dough with cinnamon sugar and then roll up the dough lengthwise like a cigar using the parchment to help keep the roll tight.  Place on a cookie pan in the freezer for approximately half an hour.  Once frozen, use sharp serrated knife to cut the dough into ½ inch rounds.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes if still frozen or 12 minutes if thawed.