Recipes
KAITLYN’S BASIC SUGAR COOKIES
1 lb. butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 C. white sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 C. flour
Preheat oven to 350. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add egg and vanilla to butter and sugar mixture. Add the salt, soda and some of the flour. A bit of cinnamon and nutmeg at this point is tasty. Mix it well and then add the rest of the flour. Mix it well, then flour a board or counter. Roll your cookies out. (If your dough is sticking too much, put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.) Thicker dough will make chewier cookies but will spread a lot during baking. Thinner dough will hold its shape better, but will be a crispier cookie. Cut out your cookies, get them onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (see bakers parchment info) and bake for 3-7 minutes depending on the size and design of your cookies. Watch the first batch carefully, be careful not to overbake…edges should only be barely browned.
HAVE FUN DECORATING!
(make the whole batch – you can wrap any leftover dough in plastic wrap and freeze it. Then it will be ready next time you want to bake cookies.)
PIE CRUST COOKIES
Vulfie Munson was the first person I know to do this. If you have very elaborate shapes, these “cookies” won’t spread and they’re really sturdy.
I use the boxed pie crust mix according to directions. Roll it out pretty thin on lightly floured parchment. Cut out the shapes, remove the excess dough, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar (cinnamon and nutmeg optional). Bake according to the box directions until they are just barely browned.
BAKER’S PARCHMENT
This stuff is so cool! If you have elaborate shapes, you definitely want to use baker’s parchment. You roll your dough out on the parchment (I lightly flour it), cut your shapes out, take the excess dough from around your cookies, then lift the entire sheet and put it on the baking sheet and into the oven. When they’re done, lift the parchment sheet of cookies off the baking sheet and put them aside to cool. Then put the next unbaked parchment sheet of cookies onto the baking sheet to bake. It is so much easier than trying to move dough with a spatula.
CORNSTARCH CLAY
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups salt
1-1/3 cups cold water
Put salt and 2/3 cup water in pan and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2/3 cup water and mix well. Blen 2 mixtures together and knead into clay. Makes about 3 cups. This clay can be air dried and then painted. Store unused clay in airtight container in the fridge.
EDIBLE FUN DOUGH
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 cups powdered milk
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Add more powdered milk to make a more workable dough if needed. This dough is good for little ones who put everything in their mouths.
CINNAMON ORNAMENTS
1 cup cinnamon
3/4 cup applesauce (drained in a strainer)
2 tbs white glue.
Mix all ingredients together, adding more cinnamon if it’s too wet or more applesauce if too dry and crumbly. Work mixture with hands until smooth and well mixed. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut with cookie cutters and use a straw to make a hole for hanging. Air dry for several days, turning twice a day to prevent curling.
(a variation of this recipe adds cloves and nutmeg – 1 tbs each…another calls for just cinnamon and unstrained applesauce mixed together.)
PLAY DOUGH
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 cup salt
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon oil
food coloring
Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Removed from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight continer when cooled. Will last fora long time.
SPRITZ LEAVES
These cookies can be made regular or chocolate. For chocolate, just replace 1/4 cup of the flour with cocoa. (3-1/4 cup flour + 1/4 cup cocoa.
1-1/2 cups butter (soft)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond flavor (optional)
3-1/2 cup all purpose flour
Add sugar and baking powder to the butter and mix well. Then add the egg and flavor(s), beat well then start adding the flour a little at a time. When you have it all mixed, chill the dough for 3 hours, roll out, cut and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350.