Christmas Cookies
This is a simple way to make some tasty Christmas Cookies!
Ingredients: (Yields about 17) Recipe may be doubled or tripled.
1 ½ cups AP flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter (room temp.)
Begin to work together
Then add:
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Bring together & Roll out between wax paper,
chill for 30-60 minutes.
Cut and bake at 350-400 f. for 7-13 minutes.
Seven Steps to Flawless Rolled Cookies with Julia M. Usher
Ready to express your inner cookie artist? Well then, you're in the right place! Welcome to Lesson 2 of Julia M. Usher's Ultimate Cookie Decorating Series!
NOTE: This video is one of 16 videos originally filmed for my DVD series, which was discontinued in November 2014. Select videos from the series will be released to YouTube over time, but my app will remain the only place where you can find all of the original DVD videos. To learn more about my app, click here:
A decorated cookie is only as lovely as its underlying cookie canvas! In this video, I reveal my seven steps to flawless rolled cookies, including how to cut to minimize distortion and bake for even browning. And what's even better?! None of these steps requires any fancy tools, such as dough boards or rolling pin guides. With the right dough*, a rolling pin, and a heavy-gauge sheet pan, you can consistently get picture-perfect cutout cookies.
*ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE RIGHT DOUGH AND MORE!
1. SPREADING OF DOUGH: While this video covers handling and rolling techniques only, it's always important to start with a good dough. Some doughs are definitely more prone to spreading and misshaping than others. Generally speaking, a dough with a relatively high proportion of flour to fat and/or a relatively low proportion of leavening to other ingredients is going to spread and misshape less. The type of fat used in the recipe can also affect your results. While some bakers shun vegetable shortening, it has a higher melting point than butter, which means that if all other ingredients in a recipe stay the same, the substitution of some shortening for butter will result in a dough that spreads less (it will also have a crisper/crunchier texture once baked). Lastly, I tend to cream my fat and sugar minimally (just a minute or so), as excessive creaming can lead to more cresting/doming of the dough when it bakes. All of the rolled cookie recipes in my books (see links to those products, below) have been tested (and re-tested) to ensure a nice balance of flavor, texture, and minimal spreading, so please check them out!
2. BAKING COOKIES: As you may notice in the video, I always bake on the back side of my cookie sheet. I do this because I use cookie sheets with walls (for durability and more even heat conduction), and I find I get more evenly baked cookies when I bake this way. (When cookies are placed on the right side of the pan, those nearest the metal walls tend to bake and brown more quickly than those in the interior.) It's also easier to remove cookies from the back side in one fell swoop by sliding them on their parchment paper liner or silicone mat directly onto cooling racks.
3. STORING COOKIES: Every recipe has different staling properties, but I like to eat my rolled cookies within a week of baking for maximum flavor and freshness. Once the icing is completely dry, store in airtight containers at room temperature to preserve cookie crunchiness and flavor.
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RELATED LINKS:
Gingerbread recipe:
For my other rolled cookie recipes, check out my books and app:
CREDITS:
Video by: Joe Baran,
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Christmas Sugar Cookies
Honestly, there's no better time of the year to make sugar cookies than during the holidays. These light and airy cookies are made with a bit of citrus, which is perfect for winter. And when topped with a royal icing, they're a festive treat!
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INGREDIENTS
For the cookies:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 1 1/2 tbsp orange juice
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the royal icing:
- 3 oz egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or vanilla extract)
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cookies:
- In an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Mix in the egg, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and scrape the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight. The dough may also be frozen for up to one month.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Once well chilled, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick and cut with desired cookie cutters. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Place in the preheated oven and bake until slightly puffed and just beginning to turn golden, 10-14 minutes.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely. Frost with favorite icing or try royal icing (instructions below).
For the royal icing:
- Mix the egg whites, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and vanilla powder together until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and like a ribbon when pouring out.
- Separate into bowls and color with food coloring.
- Use pastry bags or a plastic cookie decorating bottle to decorate the cookies.
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