FOURTH OF JULY COOKIES

     Do you remember my new recipe for Confetti Cookies that I posted a few weeks ago?  My large, soft sugar cookies?  Here’s another great way to decorate them for the 4th of July, or any holiday at all!  Recipe included below.

     We’ve all had those grocery store bakery cookies.  You know the ones I’m talking about, the pretty frosted sugar cookies.  Yes, they are pretty, but flavor?  It just isn’t there.

     This is my basic go to recipe when I want a soft frosted cookie.  Love that it’s adaptable.  You

can change the flavor of the cookie by omitting the vanilla and adding lemon, orange, raspberry,

cinnamon, peppermint, spearmint , anise, almond, coffee extract, or whatever you’re in the mood for.  Someone in the family loves chocolate chip cookies?  No problem.  Separate a little of the cookie dough and add chips.  If you’re doing orange or lemon, add a bit of zest to the batter and also to the frosting.  And of course, add the same extract to the frosting.  Color the frosting?  Absolutely!  It makes them more fun.  Put more than one color on the same cookie if you want to.  I do.

COOKIE INGREDIENTS:  YIELD 42 Large Cookies

4 ½ cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

¼  tsp salt

3 sticks salted butter, room temp

1 ½ cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 TBSP vanilla extract or another extract of your choice.

 

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

6 cups 10x

1 stick salted butter, room temp

2 ½ tsp vanilla + ½ tsp almond or another extract of your choice

2 TBSP milk or half and half

2 Dashes salt

Food coloring to tint

Sprinkles

COOKIE PREPARATION:  As always, I bake these on my stoneware sheets.  If you prefer, you can line regular baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.  Keep an eye on them because the baking time may vary.

In your mixer bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Blend 2-3 minutes on medium speed until soft and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.  Add whatever extract you want.  Add baking powder and salt, beating until incorporated.  Add flour last and beat until well mixed in.  Cover and chill for one hour.  This allows the butter to set up a bit and the cookies won’t spread.

I use my 2” (2 TBSP) cookie scoop and then slightly flatten each cookie with my fingers or a spoon.  Bake in a 350° F oven for about 12 minutes.  To test for doneness, touch the centers.  You want them set, but not over baked.  Don’t let them turn brown or your soft cookie will be a harder texture.  Cool on sheet for 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE:  If you want to make two or three different flavors, transfer small amounts of dough to small bowls add a little extract.  Do the same with the frosting.  Make the frosting, then separate to small bowls to change the flavors or tints. 

FROSTING PREPARATION:

Put butter in mixer bowl and beat on medium speed for 30-45 seconds.  Add extract, salt, and milk.  Add confectioner’s sugar and beat until fluffy.  If it seems too wet, add a bit more sugar.  If it seems too dry, add 1 tsp milk or half and half.

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By Tika for CHEW WANNA EAT? © 2016