Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange Party - Snowglobe Cookies

So I recently went to my annual cookie party, this time I made snowglobe cookies. This was definitely something different for me, never tried to do anything other than regular decorating. I used my normal cookie recipe and my normal frosting recipe. I used a snowglobe cutter to cut all the cookies.

I then took a smaller circle cutter and cut out the center of the "glass" part of the globes. I had bought some clear mints with red and green stripes from the store, so I hammered them into small pieces in a baggie  (I'm sure a food processor would have been amazing for this lol). I then spooned in enough mint pieces to fill the hole on each cookie after I had them on the baking sheets. 

Then I just went ahead and baked the cookies - as they baked the mints melted down into a smooth flat goo. Once they were done baking, I pulled them out and sprinkled some sugar on the bottom bit of the mint, and also added a couple small snowflake sprinkles as well (They just kind of sunk into the mint pretty easily). Then I just let everything set until cooled. (The mint pieces kept their red and green bit and it made a swirl of color.. if you could find plain clear mints they would just look more like glass)

Here's a photo of the mint part held up to the light.

I then outlined the cookie in medium blue piping, and flooded it with light blue. I let that dry overnight, then I tried out some edible glitter I had ordered in the past. (I actually ordered it from a lady on a cookie Facebook group- though most online shops do sell them, just be careful to get the food safe ones - some actually try to pass regular non-edible glitter off as food grade) The glitter I had read to mix with vodka... so I actually just poured a little into a shot glass of vodka and then used a small brush to paint it on the base of the snowglobe. (The vodka actually coats the icing and then the glitter spreads across the surface pretty easily) Once the vodka had dried off (it doesn't effect the icing), I used white icing to attach a couple snowflake sprinkles to the base, and then added small borders around the inside and outside of the snowglobe.

I ended up making 32 of these for the party, and they went over really well! Everyone said that the mint actually made it even better with the added flavor.

Next time when I give myself more time to plan ahead, I think it would be fun to either make a stained glass cookie or else some type of window with the mints.

New Icing Recipe! (My new go-to icing)

Hello again!!

So recently I traded out my old icing recipe (in the second post on this blog I believe) for one that I found on Sweet Sugarbelle's website!

This one is just so simple to make and turns out every time, and also makes just about enough for whatever I'm going to do. (I made one batch for the 4 dozen Peep cookies I made at Easter and that still didn't use it all)

Royal Icing

Yield: Approximately 5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 pounds {one bag} confectioner's sugar {907 grams}
• 5 tablespoons meringue powder {approximately 53 grams}
• 2-3 teaspoons oil-free extract or emulsion
• 1/2-3/4 cups warm water
• 
  

Instructions

1. Begin by stirring the flavoring into half the water.
2. Using a paddle attachment, gently mix the sugar and meringue powder. It's not necessary to sift the sugar beforehand, but you can if you like.
3. With the mixer on it's lowest setting slowly add the water/flavoring mix to the dry ingredients. As the water is added, the icing will become thick and lumpy.
4. Continue to add the remaining water {this may or may not be the entire amount} until the mixture reaches a thick, honey like consistency. At this point, turn the mixer to medium speed and whip 2-4 minutes until this icing is thick and fluffy. Mixing time can vary greatly so watch carefully and stop mixing when the icing is this enough to form a soft peak.

Notes

Don't be afraid to experiment by adding corn syrup, glycerin, or cream of tartar to the mixture. Use a fan for a smooth shiny finish. Royal icing can be affected by many variables. With a little time and patience, you will find your perfect match.

I'm also going to re-post my base sugar cookie recipe:

Sugar Cookies

• 2 sticks of UNSALTED butter (leave out about 30min to reach room temp, or microwave in 10 sec. intervals (I did this twice per stick))
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla or any other type of flavoring extract (I bought some emulsions at WalMart and a cake supply store, and this latest run I used a full tbsp. of Princess flavor)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Combine butter and sugar into mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until well mixed (will appear “creamy”). Use a spatula to scrape everything back down off the sides of the bowl.
Add in the egg and your extract and mix again on low. Scrape again and get everything back down into the bowl. Then add in the baking powder and salt and run mixer on low. Then add in the flour in parts ( I usually use a half-cup and add that much six times, so the mixer has time to mix the flour in, if you add it too quickly or too much at a time your mixer is liable to bind up on you). You may need to shut off your mixer at times and scrape everything down into the bowl, and turn the dough on itself to get all the flour well mixed in. Mine always tends to leave loose flour in the bottom of the bowl. Once everything is all mixed well, the dough should be firm enough to just pick up with your hands and knead a bit just to get it all the same consistency.

Lay out a piece of waxed paper to work on and have a second piece to use to cover your dough as you roll it out so your rolling pin stays clean. You can also use a couple of paint stirring sticks or dowels on either side of the dough to keep the thickness consistent.
Then cut out shapes with cookie cutters, or freehand with knives/toothpicks or however. I've never really had any issues with the dough sticking to the cutters, but if you do, try dipping the cutter in some flour to help the edges release from the dough.
You’ll want to arrange the cookies on a baking sheet, I put waxed paper on mine to keep them from sticking, and all it does is leave a bit of greasy wax that washes right off. Now bake for about 8-9 minutes at 375. They won’t look really done, as in browned, but the dough will be cooked and they will stay soft.

 

Mint Chocoate Crazy Cake Recipe! (Tastes like Girl Scouts' Thin Mints cookies)

Chocolate Mint CRAZY CAKE (NO EGGS, MILK, BUTTER)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
• 1 cup sugar (All purpose sugar - Granulated Pure Cane Sugar)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
• 1 cup water 

Directions (
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan.  Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger (see #3 in photo below). Pour vinegar in one depression, peppermint extract in the other and the oil in third larger depression.  Pour water over all.  Mix well until smooth.
Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes.  Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool.  Top with your favorite frosting.  Enjoy!

Note:  Oven baking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.

Frosting:  Use your favorite chocolate, vanilla or peppermint frosting.  For this cake, I didn't have what I needed to make homemade frosting so I used a can of Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting from the pantry.  I added 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract and mixed it up - it was perfect.   You can do the same with a container of vanilla frosting. 

Sangria Cupcakes

Sangria Cupcakes

 

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 1 & 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped strawberries, or a little less
• zest of 1 orange
• 1/4 cup blueberries or diced apples

To top the cupcakes

• Orange slices, strawberry slices and blueberries.

Buttercream

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2-2.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups red wine and 1/4 cup sugar, reduced to red wine syrup, see below

Directions:

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Whisk and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and sour cream until combined.
4. Slowly add half of the flour mixture to the liquid, stirring to combine. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture. Add in the chopped strawberries, orange zest, and blueberries or chopped apples. Stir to mix.
5. Divide the batter among a muffin pan lined with muffin liners, fill the muffin cups to be about a little more than 1/2 full.
6. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Red Wine Syrup

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the red wine and sugar to a boil. Once the wine starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, you still want to see the wine boiling, just not a rigorous boil. Allow the wine to thicken and reduce, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool at remove temperature. This is where the wine will begin to thicken. Once the wine has cooled to room temperature, you can place the saucepan in the fridge to help speed on the cooling process.

Buttercream

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature butter and shortening, beat using an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Add 1/4 cup of the red wine syrup and mix. You can add more later, but you do not want the buttercream to become too wet.
3. Begin to add in the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time. Slowly beat the mixture until the powered sugar is incorporated. Continue this process, adding enough powdered sugar to make sure the frosting isn't too wet. You can add more red wine syrup at this time if you’d like the flavor to be stronger. You may have to add more powdered sugar too.
4. Transfer a portion of the frosting to a large ziploc bag or piping bag fit with a piping tip. Push or squeeze the frosting down, getting rid of any air pockets. If using a ziploc bag, cut half one corner, making a hole between the size of a dime and a penny.
5. Begin to pipe the frosting onto a cupcake, starting with the outside edge and working your way into the center of the cupcake, progressively stacking the frosting as you go around in circles. I used a wilton 2D piping tip.
6. Top each cupcake with a small orange slice, strawberry slice and one blueberry.

Crazy Wacky Cake! (No egg, milk, butter or bowls!)

Vanilla Crazy Cake Recipe (No Eggs, Milk, Butter or Bowls)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups flour + 3 Tablespoons (all-purpose)
• 1 Cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp.  salt

• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp.  pure vanilla extract
• 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
• 1 Cup water

 Directions (picture tutorial below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan.  Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger (see #3 in photo below). Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting. Enjoy!

Note: Oven baking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.

Chocolate Crazy Cake Recipe (No Eggs, Milk, Butter or Bowls)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups flour (all-purpose)
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
• 1 Cup sugar (All purpose sugar - Granulated Pure Cane Sugar)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp.  salt

• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract
• 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
• 1 Cup water 

Easter Cookies!

So for Easter I made some Peeps for my Peeps at work :D These were super fun to make!!

Welcome back!

So I've been away for a while now, but that doesn't mean I haven't been making cookies in the meantime! I recently bought some new cookie cutters too, so that's what I've been focusing on. My manager at work requested I make him some cookies with my new Fallout cookie cutter, so I had to comply.

The cutter was a little wonky, this was my first experience with a 3D printer cutter. The dough refused to come loose at first, then I inquired online and learned that I needed to drill a few small holes through the back of the cutter to create airflow so the dough wouldn't vacuum into the cutter. I also had to heavily flour the cutter and the dough to get it to come out halfway clean. So a heads up, 3D printed "whole" cutters are fun, but you gotta work with them a bit.
However I also just recently bought some 2-piece cutters from CrimsonManeCreations in Australia. Now these cutters are amazing! They're also 3D printed, but they are "plunger" type cutters. They are the easiest to use, and the details are amazing!! I haven't tried to decorate them yet, but I made basic sugar cookies with them.

                                  

Thanksgiving Cookies!

So I finished up the Thanksgiving cookies I was working, the day before. So I took them to work on Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit!

I used a new icing recipe and it turned out amazing!!!
It's from Sweet Sugar Belle's website and it was super easy to use!

Royal Icing

Yield: Approximately 5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 pounds {one bag} confectioner's sugar {907 grams}
• 5 tablespoons meringue powder {approximately 53 grams}
• 2-3 teaspoons oil-free extract or emulsion
• 1/2-3/4 cups warm water

Instructions

1. Begin by stirring the flavoring into half the water.
2. Using a paddle attachment, gently mix the sugar and meringue powder. It's not necessary to sift the sugar beforehand, but you can if you like.
3. With the mixer on it's lowest setting slowly add the water/flavoring mix to the dry ingredients. As the water is added, the icing will become thick and lumpy.
4. Continue to add the remaining water {this may or may not be the entire amount} until the mixture reaches a thick, honey like consistency. At this point, turn the mixer to medium speed and whip 2-4 minutes until this icing is thick and fluffy. Mixing time can vary greatly so watch carefully and stop mixing when the icing is this enough to form a soft peak.

Making my way back..

So as we near the holidays, I'm trying to find some time to make some cookies and various edibles again. I'm going to try to be more diligent and update as I go along... Sorry for the hiatus that I didn't intend to go on. I ended up just making random cookies at that last post and didn't go into much with them. The icing I made didn't work out like I'd planned and we just ate them.

So now I've made my way back. I've started an attempt to make some sugar cookies for my co-workers for Thanksgiving as a practice. I'm planning on attending another cookie party in December so I have to get back into gear. So I made some sugar dough and baked some cookies the other night.

I have to ice them still, but I'm going to try to make some turkeys also. Still had to get to the store to get the ingredients to make the icing. Also going to attempt gingerbread here soon. So I'll drop another update once I get more work done.

Making cookies tonight!!!!

So I've had better luck lately, made two more batches of dough and kept adding flour until it was the right texture. So tonight I've been cutting out cookies and waiting for the oven to preheat now! I love my Twilight Sparkle!! My boyfriend's brother was awesome and got me My Little Pony cutters for Christmas but I hadn't quite mastered how to use them (they're 3D printed ones). So I'll update this post once I get the cookies baked!!!

Cookie failure today... so anyways lol....

So I tried to go back and make some cookies today... after two batches of dough that came out like whipped butter and unusable for using cookie cutters on, I make some royal icing and decided to try again later on.. But I also found a fun recipe I remember making when I was a kid that is fun just for a rainy day treat :D

Dessert Sand Cups ( I remember originally making these from the recipe off a box of Dixie cups with Disney's Aladdin on them)

Ingredients:

1.  2 pkg. (3.4 oz each) Jell-O vanilla instant pudding
2. 1 qt. (4 cups) cold milk
3. 32 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
4. 6-7 ounce paper drinking cups

How to Make:

• Beat together pudding mixes and cold milk with a whisk for 2 minutes, then let it stand for 5 minutes.
• Pour 1 tbsp. of crushed wafers into the bottoms of paper drinking cups, then layer pudding and wafers until full.
• Top with gummy worms or any other kind of fun toppers.

Buttercreme Cookie Icing

Found this recipe tonight, not sure how well it'd work for drying and not smudging/smashing. However I feel like it might be worth a try :D

Buttercream Frosting for Decorating Cookies:

Melt:
1 tablespoon butter

Add and beat until smooth:
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Add food coloring if desired. Yields 1/3 cup

*When I make this icing I do not always add the lemon juice.  I scale this recipe up, starting with 10 Tablespoons butter, mixed with 10 Tablespoons milk.  To this I added 2 pounds of sifted powder sugar and two Tablespoons butter.  From there I made separate colors, and with each color I made a thick frosting for outlining and lettering, along with a thin icing for flooding the cookies.

Fun Easy Cool Whip Cookie Recipe!!

 

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been a bit, we've had a lot going on at my house so time slipped away again! I haven't really made anything new recently, other than a couple random cookies to see how a couple new cutters worked. In the meantime, I found this neat little recipe. It looks super easy and fun! Gonna have to try it soon!!

 

Easy Cool Whip Cookie Recipe

1) Buy cake mix, an egg, and cool whip or whatever whip topping look alike you find in the freeze section

2) grab a bowl

3) pour in the cake mix. I used white cake but I thought about pineapple or red velvet.

4) Place one egg in the cake mix

5) Then mix in the egg

5 b) Then put in the food coloring of your choice (optional)

 

6) Finally fold in the 8 oz cool whip topping (do not overdo it)

7) Then grab a cookie sheet

8) Turn on your oven to 350 degrees

9) scoop out the cookie batter onto a cookie sheet

10) Place the cookie scoops in the oven for 10-12 minutes

11) Cool the cookies prior to consuming

12) Place them on a pretty plate and pretend you slaved over their creation.

Peppermint Bars!!

Ingredients

Serves:

Makes 36 servings.

1 package (family-size) fudge brownie mix

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 7 tablespoons butter, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Peppermint Extract

12 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Crushed peppermint candies , (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Spread in greased foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
2. Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
3. Meanwhile, beat confectioners’ sugar, 7 tablespoons of the butter, melted, cream and peppermint extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly over cooled brownie. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Microwave chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter in large microwave bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over top of chilled brownie. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies, if desired. Cut into bars.

Fruity Pebbles Cookies!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 ½ sticks butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk together baking soda and flour and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add the pudding package and beat until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined. Stir in Fruity Pebbles and white chocolate chips.

Scoop 1” balls and place on your cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

Christmas Cookie Recipes Part Two!

Welcome to part Two of Christmas Cookie Recipes!!

Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Yield: 36 cookies

This easy cake mix cookie gets a holiday twist from Oreo cookies and Peppermint Crunch pieces. They will disappear almost as fast as you make them.

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz.)(I use Pillsbury)

1 stick butter, melted (8 Tbsp.)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup Oreo cookie chunks

1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts. Beat until a soft dough forms. Add the cream cheese and beat in gently until combined. Stir in the peppermint crunch pieces and chocolate chips first. Then gently stir in the cookie pieces by hand being careful not to break up the cookie more. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
2. Roll the dough into 36 balls. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will be very soft and look undone. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then gently remove them with a spatula to a piece of wax paper on the counter.
3. Very gently tap the tops of the cookies with the bottom of the spatula to even out the tops. Let them sit until completely cool. Store in a sealed container. Makes 36 cookies.

Colorful Swirl and Bake Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Flour
• ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ⅔ cups Powdered Sugar
• ¼ cups Granulated Sugar
• 2-½ sticks Butter, Cut Into Chunks
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ½ teaspoons Gel Food Coloring Of Your Choice
• ½ teaspoons Any Desired Extracts (optional)
• 1-½ cup Colored Sprinkles, In Your Choice Of Colors

Preparation

1. In a stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars with paddle on medium until well blended.
2. Add butter in, gradually, and continue mixing. Add in vanilla extract. At this point, your dough will form a ball on your paddle.
3. Remove your dough ball and divide into two equal parts. Return one portion back into the mixer and add the food coloring and any extra extracts; you’ll keep the other portion of dough plain. I used Wilton gel food coloring in leaf green and vanilla extract for this batch. You could coordinate your colors and flavors, for example green food coloring matched with a mint extract or yellow with a lemon extract, etc. Mix until the color is spread out evenly.
4. Roll out each portion of your dough, between two sheets of wax paper until it reaches about 11 x 9 inches and is 1/4 inch thick. Slide both sheets onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
5. When firm, remove the top sheets of wax paper from both. Brush the uncolored vanilla dough lightly with water using a pastry brush. Then flip the colored dough onto the vanilla uncolored dough so they are stacked atop each other and even. Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal them together. Using a small paring knife, trim the edges of the dough to make straight, even lines.
6. Pour out sprinkles onto a large platter and set aside. Be sure your dough is still cold, but flexible. Once it’s ready, begin rolling the long side of dough into a swirl, jelly-roll style. Now, don’t get nervous if the outer layer of uncolored dough tears a bit. It’s no problem, just pinch and pat those tears and voila, then just keep rolling.
7. Now gently lift your dough log onto the sprinkles and roll away. Cover the log completely with your sprinkles. Wrap the colorfully decorated log in plastic wrap twice. Depending on when you want to bake the cookies, either place the wrapped dough into refrigerator for about 3-4 hours or you can put it the freezer and keep it there for up to 2 months. (If freezing, give yourself time for the dough to defrost in the fridge overnight before cutting.)
8. Slice your dough into 1/4-1/8 inch slices and bake on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cookie rack to finish cooling. Enjoy your whimsical Christmas cookies!
 

Thumbprint Snowman Cookies

Cute double thumbprint cookies made into adorable snowmen- because two cookies are always better than one.

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1/2  cup  butter, softened
1/4  cup  granulated sugar
1/4  cup  packed brown sugar
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1   egg
1  tablespoon  milk
1  teaspoon  vanilla
2  cups  all-purpose flour
Icing (to fill cookies)
Icing:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla (optional)
Gel paste food coloring (black, orange) for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.
2. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. For each full snowman cookie, on an ungreased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, place 2 dough balls side by side with one side touching. Press thumbs into each ball to form an indentation in each.  Repeat with remaining dough balls, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.  For heads only, use one dough ball.
3. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack. Let cookies cool.  Fill each indentation with the icing (I used decorating bags and #2 or #3 tip. Let icing dry for several hours.
4. Tint some of the royal icing black, and some orange.  Using a small decorating (#1) tip and black icing, apply buttons and eyes.  With the orange, add a carrot nose.
5. Let cookies dry completely, ENJOY!

Notes:

• To Store: Place filled cookies in a single layer in covered storage containers and store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Yield: 30 (3-inch) cookies
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

A recipe for soft Gingerbread Men Cookies - a holiday staple.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
¾ cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. In food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade, process flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda until combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal, about 15 seconds. With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds. (Alternatively, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking soda at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix at medium-low speed until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1½ minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until dough is evenly moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.)
2. Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll ¼-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into gingerbread people or round cookies, transferring shapes to parchment-line cookie sheets with a wide metal spatula, spacing them ¾-inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough until cookie sheets are full. Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating cookie sheet from front to back halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature.
5. Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting and baking in steps 2 and 4. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used.
6. Once cookies are cool, decorate with royal icing, if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Melting Snowman Cookies

Ingredients

1pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix

1/2cup butter, softened

1egg

1package (1 lb) vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark)

Black confetti candy sprinkles

Orange jimmies candy sprinkles

Betty Crocker™ Decorating Cookie Icing chocolate icing

Betty Crocker™ Decorating Decors snowflakes

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms.
• 2 Roll half the dough into walnut-size balls, and then flatten slightly on a parchment-lined or ungreased cookie sheet. Roll remaining dough into marble-size balls, and place on cookie sheet; do not flatten these.
• 3 Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Cool about 5 minutes or until cookies are firm enough to be transferred to cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
• 4 In large microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating at 30-second intervals until it can be stirred smooth. Cover work surface with waxed or parchment paper.
• 5 Place a dot of melted coating on bottom of a small cookie and place it toward one edge of a larger cookie. Spoon coating over entire cookie, allowing some to spill over edge of bottom cookie.
• 6 Place two black confetti pieces on small cookie for eyes, and an orange candy sprinkle in center for a carrot nose. Place three black confetti sprinkle “buttons” on the bottom cookie. Alternatively, you can decorate one large cookie in the same manner, to represent a completely melted snowman.
• 7 Use the cookie icing to draw on arms. Sprinkle with snowflakes; allow to dry completely.
• 8 Store cookies in airtight container.

 

Peppermint Crunch Dark Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

 

What You’ll Need:

• 1 box Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Cake Mix {15.25 oz.}
• 1 bag Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips {10 oz.}
• 1/2 cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
• 2 eggs
• Cookie Sheets

What You’ll Do:

• Combine cake mix, eggs, and oil in large mixing bowl, and beat well.
• Stir in Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
• Chill dough in refrigerator for 20 minutes
• Drop onto ungreased non-stick cookie sheet in rounded balls.
• Bake for approx. 8 – 9 minutes {or until done} at 350 degrees.
• ENJOY!!

 

M&M Cookies {Christmas Style}

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (for a thicker cookie use 2 1/2)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup salted butter, chilled and diced into cubes (about 1/2-inch)
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 (11 oz) bag M&M's (I used mini)

 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugar on low speed until it starts to come together then increase mixer to medium speed and whip until creamy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Mix in egg and egg yolk. Stir in vanilla. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combine (batter will be thick due to the chilled butter). Mix in M&M's (I set aside about 1/4 cup of the M&M's to lightly press into the tops of cookies before baking so they show through more, totally optional).
• Scoop dough out 2 Tbsp at a time and shape into a ball, transfer to a Silpat lined or buttered cookie sheet - fitting 8 per sheet. Bake in preheated oven 10 - 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.