Cookie Day

I'm gearing up for our annual Cookie Day. 

 My mom, my sister, georgia and myself 

get together for two days  of

 pure baking

 flying flour

rolling dough and 

 slinging cookies.

We share dozens of cookies that we have each made at home, 

and bake strictly sugar cookies together. 

Christine and I do most of the rolling and cutting.

Georgia is queen of decorating the cookies. 

Mom is happy we are under her roof.

We fill dozens of tins, 

drink lots of coffee and laugh a lot.

 It's a sweet tradition.

Checking my pantry for this staple, 

my favorite vanilla extract.

Find it at food shops or williams-sonoma

sparkling cookies from the Purl Bee

Sparkling Coin Cookies

(adapted from the Icebox Butter Cookies in Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

Makes approximately 5 dozen

Ingredients:

2 Sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sanding sugar of each color for rolling

You will also need:

Parchment paper

Electric mixer

To make cookies:

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg and almond extract and mix to combine.  Add flour and salt and mix on low until combined.

Divide dough into quarters and roll each piece into a log approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Wrap each log in parchment and refrigerate until firm.  If freezing, wrap well in plastic and parchment.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment.  Let dough stand at room temperature until soft enough to slice, but firm enough that it won't lose it's round shape when cutting.  Roll logs in sanding sugar until they are thoroughly coated and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.  Place the rounds approximately 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden on edges and bottoms.  Remove and place on cooling racks.

We used Martha Stewart's Icebox Butter Cookie recipe and substituted almond extract for the vanilla extract.  We like that you can make this dough ahead and keep it in the freezer for up to three weeks before baking it.

 the purl bee features a holiday cookie every year, 
take a minute and check their archives for past deliciousness.

Blueberry Coconut Pecan Breakfast Cookies

Blueberry Coconut Pecan Breakfast Cookies

1 1/2       cups gluten-free rolled oats

1             cup unsweetened coconut flakes 

1             tablespoon golden flaxmeal

1/2          teaspoon salt

3/4          cups coarsely chopped pecans

1/2          cup dried blueberries

3             very ripe bananas, mashed

1/4          cup coconut oil, warm enough to be liquid

1             tablespoon agave nectar

1             teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine oats, coconut, flaxmeal, salt, pecans, and blueberries. Stir in bananas, oil, agave nectar and vanilla until well combined.

Press 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Continue with remaining mixture.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until fragrant and golden. Cool on pan.

Yield: about 15 cookies.
 I'll swap out the blues for dried cherries or cranberries..
 otherwise looks like i'm off to shop and make these this afternoon.

Grab your recipe right here 

Holiday Cookie Workshops

Come in out of the cold and decorate one half dozen BIG holiday sugar cookies using icing and decorations galore! 

We will also decorate and design a box to take them home in. 

DECEMBER  14,  15 and 16th  4 - 5:30 .

For Kids  4 and up, $40.00.  Registration a must, spaces limited!