Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I would like to make some cookies for my darling girl with a more complex cookie cutter (an imprint + outline), but know next to nothing about cookies. I discovered last night that gingerbread cookies was not a good choice. Poking around, "sugar" cookies seem a good choice. Anyone got a rock solid recipe that works for this? Tasty would be good too

I can't help with the cutter kind, anything that requires rolling petrifies me. However, the imprint part can work with almost any cookie. I use the pusher from my Cuisinart to make concentric circles on drop cookies. I used it to make Oreo cookies and it worked really well too, though I did roll and cut those.

Paul,

Kris has a recipe for a basic sugar cookie, but I'm on the tablet tonight. May type it up tomorrow.

Does she like Shortbread Cookies?

She has never tried them, but I can't help but think she would love them. I've seen lots of detail on shortbread, how hard it is to make?

Kris typed this up:

Sugar Cookies

6 tbs. salted butter, softened
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. packed brown sugar (I use dark, but light works as well)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1-1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

In a large mixing bowl, either with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer, cream softened butter and sugars until well-blended and fluffy.

Add the vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Add the egg, and beat until combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper (or into a small bowl). Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating well.

Cover and chill the dough for 1-2 hours or until firm enough to roll out.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters of your choice; this is a reasonably firm dough (and the more you chill it, the firmer it will be), so complex cutters should be fine here. Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment, and bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Scraps can be gathered and re-rolled once; after that, simply bake the leftover bits as "scrap cookies"--they'll look odd, but taste delicious!

I usually make these as Jam Tarts--use a 2-1/2 to 3 inch round cutter to cut circles. Place 1/2 tsp. of your favorite jam in the middle of each circle, then fold the dough over into a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork. Bake as specified above.

As Jam Tarts, this makes about 1-1/2 dozen; the yield for cutouts depends on your cutter, but is probably somewhere in that neighborhood.

Ok, I will try that! Paw Patrol cookies here we come!

When I was experimenting with cookie presses, it was sort of the same as with complex cookie cutters. It seemed that the ones with more eggs and less butter kept the shape better. The ones with more butter (i.e. better flavor) had the shapes sort of disappear. The same would probably happen with cut shapes.

Paul, a couple of suggestions if you're making sugar cookies and want to avoid the dreaded "spread" that makes them lose their clean edges. You can leave the baking powder out (that's what I do) as leavening isn't really needed in a decorated cookie, and it also helps to refrigerate the cut-out cookies for about an hour before baking. They keep their shape better if they start out chilled in the oven. Also, try not to overwork the dough or add a lot of flour when you're rolling. Rolling out the dough in-between parchment or silicone mats (I use the latter) makes that easier. You sound like a great grandpa ---good luck!

Alina you could do a decorated sugar cookie with one hand tied behind your back! (Although that probably wouldn't be too comfortable, but you get my meaning.)

Emilie