ILP– SUGAR COOKIES!!

My youngest cousin “helping” (applying the   sprinkles) with the cookies

This week I was over at my aunt’s house, while I was there my cousin, Allie, decided she wanted to make sugar cookies. And though I am not the biggest fan of sugar cookies, who could say no to that face! (check above picture). My aunt also knew that I am baking desserts as my ILP for this class so she was down for baking. Allie is only 4 so getting all the ingredients together and stirred was not part of her job for helping. I will say that she did a great job of putting the sprinkles on though. Some had a little too many sprinkles for my liking, but I’m not going to be the one to crush a 4 year old’s baking dreams.

To start out, I first looked up a sugar cookie recipe, which I found at http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/best-sugar-cookie-recipe-ever/ . I found a lot of interesting recipes here, so I think I may use this lady’s website in the future. Once I found a recipe, I needed to make sure that my aunt had all that we would need. Then it was off to find a frosting recipe. I found that recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/11056/butter-icing-for-sugar-cookies/ And we were in luck! My aunt had just enough vanilla extract to make the cookies AND the frosting!

And now I remember why I don’t usually want to make sugar cookies, it’s such a process! And having a 4 year old constantly asking to help you doesn’t make it any easier… Once we got the cookies formed it was time for them to cook. The best part about this recipe is that it takes only about 6- 8 minutes to cook. So as the cookies are baking, I start scrambling about again to get the frosting going. I was stirring the ingredients together when the timer went off. Allie runs around the corner shouting “The cookies are done!” As i try to avoid running directly into her, I take the cookies out of the oven. My aunt loves to bake so she has a cool rake we place the cookies on.

When the cookies have sat long enough and the frosting is ready to go we start frosting the cookies. Allie chose green frosting because that was her favorite color for the day. So I start dropping some frosting on each of the cookies, I then make my way bake and spread it evenly on. I handed Allie the sprinkles a little too early and we had to clean some up off the floor before we even put any on the cookies.

This was a great experience. I have never baked anything with someone so young and it made me grateful for the patients I had (well at least what I thought I had). The cookies turned out extremely tasty, if I do say so myself.

Ingredients for sugar cookie:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour

Ingredients for frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 3 drops of food coloring
• 2.25 ounces (1 jar) decorator sugar

Resources:

• http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/best-sugar-cookie-recipe-ever/ (Sugar cookie recipe/ directions)
• http://allrecipes.com/recipe/11056/butter-icing-for-sugar-cookies/ (Frosting)