sugar cookies

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

By in Cookies & Bars, Easter, Kids, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

soft birds nest sugar cookies

I love making things with Max in the kitchen, but if the project is too intricate or involved I find myself getting more stressed out then I like to be. I want us all to enjoy our time in the kitchen together, I want to foster a love for the kitchen, not memories of a stressed out mom. That’s why I love planning projects like this that are easy for him to help with, don’t make a ton of mess and look great no matter how tiny the hands are that made them.

This is the perfect project for toddlers and preschoolers because although their not quite adept enough to pipe sensical decorations onto cookies, they can decorate these cookies easily and have them turn out beautiful. They can choose the colours they like or mix and match them like Max did. They can have complete freedom and you’ll know the end product will add something special and delicious to the Easter table.

We topped our’s with candy coated chocolate covered almond eggs (wow, that’s a mouthful!) which I thought were the perfect complement to the coconut topping. When I made these I figured they would be just for looks but they were actually really delicious. This is one case where the toppings aren’t just there for show, they actually add something special to the flavour of the cookie.

The coconut topping is just shredded coconut that has been dyed with food colouring and water. I used liquid food colours but you could also use gel colours, although you may need to add a bit more water to make it the right consistency to coat the coconut. My favorite colour was definitely the purple and I’ve included the instructions below on the amounts of liquid colour I used to achieve the colour. The other colours are much more straight forward – just one or two drops from the average four-pack of liquid food colouring.

These are so tasty and so fun, I know I’ll be making them again next year. Im pretty sure we just found a new Easter tradition. :)

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

Just FYI, I had a lot of leftover frosting. But, I don’t think half the frosting would be quite enough. Better to have too much then too little right?

Soft Sugar Cookies
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly beat into butter mixture, just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scoop 1/4 cup amounts of cookie dough, roll each into a ball and flatten slightly. Place on parchment-line baking sheets 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until set; do not brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to cooling racks or paper towel to cool completely.

Frosting
  • 5 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 7 tablespoons milk

Mix together all ingredients until smooth.

To Decorate
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • food colouring
  • water
  • chocolate covered almond eggs, chocolate eggs or jelly beans

Place 1/4 cup coconut into four ziploc bags. In a small bowl add 1/4 teaspoon water and desired food colouring, swirl to combine. Pour into one of the bags, seal and shake until the coconut is evenly coloured. Rinse the bowl and repeat with remaining colours. (To make the purple, use 3 drops red and 2 drops blue of liquid colour.)

Top each cookie with frosting, a good sprinkling of coconut and chocolate eggs.

Store, covered, at room temperature.

Makes approximately: 2 dozen cookies

Decoration inspired by Betty Crocker. Recipe Adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Hostess with the Mostess.

White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots

By in Christmas, Creamy, Sweets 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots

You know what Christmas treat I”ve missed most since moving to Norway? Eggnog. I”ve made my own, but so far I just haven”t found that perfect recipe. I used to practically live off the stuff when I was younger. That”s when you really knew that Christmas was on its way – when you saw cartons of Eggnog appearing beside the milk.

Since moving here I”ve become obsessed with eggnog flavoured things. I have to get my fix somehow! Hence the Eggnog Sugar Cookies and now these silky smooth White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots.

Yes, it”s still Sugar Cookie Week but I thought for this post I”d share a dessert that”s great accompanied with some sugar cookies dippers. A little crunch with a smooth and creamy treat turns an already tasty dessert into perfection.

These cheesecake pots can be made in ramekins, mugs or small bowls and could alternatively be topped with the Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies from yesterday”s post.

When I make sugar cookies as dippers I like to make them a little smaller than usual, so you can use them as a garnish or throw a handful beside. Use them beside any kind of creamy and smooth dessert and you”ve got yourself a perfect pairing.

White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots

Make sure that the cream cheese and melted chocolate are as close to the same temperature as possible. If the cream cheese is too cold or the chocolate too hot, the chocolate will seize as you beat them together.

  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted and cooled to room temperature

  • 1 (8oz/250g) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon rum extract

  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1 cup cold whipping cream

Beat cream cheese into white chocolate until smooth. Beat in rum extract and nutmeg. Add cream and beat, just until peaks form and hold their shape when beaters are lifted. Spoon into serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with additional nutmeg before serving, if desired.

Serves: 6-8

Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies

By in Christmas, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 6 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies shaped into the form of mini lattice-pie-crust tops. Aren”t they so cute!

I first saw this idea on Pinterest and I immediately fell in love. It”s such a cute presentation of sugar cookies and dresses up any simple dessert or drink and turns it into something special. You can place them on top of mugs of cocoa or Hot Mulled Cranberry Juice, or serve them on top of mugs, ramekins or bowls full of some hidden Christmas dessert.

They really aren”t too difficult to master. But for those who don”t know how to make lattice pie crusts I”ve included step-by-step photos with the instructions.

First, a couple notes:

  • It”s important to roll out the dough and then chill, before cutting and making the lattice. It adds a bit more time to the process but I didn”t do this the first time around and the dough was too stretchy and kept breaking while I was trying make the lattice.

  • If the dough breaks don”t sweat, just press the pieces back together and it will seal as it bakes. That”s the great thing about homemade, things don”t have to look perfect, they just become rustic. :)

  • I used the dough from my Eggnog Sugar Cookies and the instructions below are suited to that recipe. But, of course you could use your favourite sugar cookie (or gingerbread) recipe to do the same.

Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies – How to

1) Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each into squares, on lightly floured pieces of parchment paper, making sure they are of equal size and thickness. Freeze for 5 minutes (or refrigerate for 15). You can stack them on top of each other (with the pieces of parchment between) to save space.

Working with two at a time, slice into even sized strips with a pizza cutter or knife.

2) Separate the strips and place as many side by side until they are as wide as one is long. Set other strips aside. Fold every other strip in half; lay one of the strips that you set aside across the middle. Lay all the pieces back down.

3) Fold the opposite strips up and lay another across, beside the first; fold all pieces back down – making sure that the ones that were over the first strip are now under the second strip.

4) Continue in this pattern, patching up any pieces that break as you go.

5) Once you have a complete square you”re ready to make the cookies. There will be some strips leftover – put them in the fridge to use with the leftovers from the next batch.

6) Use the top of the mugs, ramekins or bowls, that you plan on using, to cut out the cookies. This will make sure that they fit perfectly on top once baked.

7) Remove the excess cookie dough. You can re-roll and repeat the process with these scraps, but it”s best to wait until you can gather all the scraps together so you can work with a larger piece of dough.

8) Transfer the cookies, on the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Freeze again for 5 minutes (or refrigerate for 15), this will make sure the cookies don”t spread as much when baking.

Remove from the fridge; brush with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon sugar + 1 teaspoon sugar). Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes (or according to recipe directions).

Inspired by not martha.

Eggnog Sugar Cookies

By in Christmas, Sweets 11 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Eggnog Sugar Cookies

You can”t start Sugar Cookie Week without a delicious recipe for sugar cookies. I know sugar cookies get a bad wrap for not being very flavourful and true enough they aren”t ever going to beat out a chocolate chip cookie for pure deliciousness, but they do beat it out for variety of what you can create with them.

That being said, you can still have a tasty sugar cookie that”s far from a chore to eat. Especially when you pump it full of sugar and spice and a shot of rum flavouring. Eggnog Sugar Cookies are where it”s at.

I have to be honest, although this recipe smelled deliciously of eggnog before going in the oven it seemed that most of the rum flavouring baked out. I was still left with a lovely spiced cookie, that I enjoyed eating, but it didn”t taste of eggnog. I”ve tried to remedy that below by doubling the amount of flavouring. And, since the first batch had such a lovely eggnog-y smell I”m hoping that, that”s the kick in the butt it needs to stay that way. *Update: I made a quick batch again last night and it worked! They now officially do taste like eggnog. :)

Regardless, it is a tasty Christmas-flavoured sugar cookie that I”m looking forward to making again.

New to making sugar cookies? Read my Tips to Perfect Sugar Cookies to ensure success the first time.

Eggnog Sugar Cookies

  • 3 cups flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1 cup cold salted butter, cubed

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 2 teaspoons rum flavouring

Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and rum flavouring. Mix until incorporated.

Add flour mixture in three additions, scraping down sides of bowl as you go. Beat until combined (will be crumbly).

Divide dough in half to roll out. Knead each piece on countertop until smooth. Roll out on floured parchment paper. Cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 5 minutes (or refrigerate for 15 minutes) to firm up.

Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let sit for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack or paper towel to cool.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies