Use Cookie Cutter for making four cookie sticks at once.
Recipe and decorating ideas from the package that the cutter came from. (see front and back scan of package)
Jumbo Raisin – Barb Humprhrey
Family Favorite Recipe from Mom (Barbara) Humphrey
1 cup water
2 cups raisins
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
4 cups flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
Add raisins to water and boil five minutes, then cool.
Cream shortening, sugar and add eggs one at atime, vanilla, cooled raisin mixture and nuts
Sift dry ingredients and add to raisin mixture.
Bake 400 degrees fro about 10 to 12 minutes.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
I use the middle scoop for larger cookies on a greased cookie sheet.
Fruitcake
Fruitcake – recipe from Ann Stover in 1978. Has become a family favorite.
1 cup chopped candied cherries
1 cup yellow raisins
1 cup chopped candied pineapple
2 1/2 cups candied fruit mix
1 cup chopped walnuts (or less)
3 cups flour
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup corn syrup
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla
Combine fruit and nuts with one cup of the flour and mix.
Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each egg.
Combine corn syrup and flavorings and add to mixture.
Add alternately the dry ingredients with the wet mixture. Fold in the fruit/nuts mixture.
Grease pans. Makes eight small loaves of the 4.5 x 2.75 x2.25 size or can make three regular size bread pan.
Bake 275 degree for one hour. Remove fruitcake within 5 to 10 minutes checking for doneness and let cool completely.
Wrap cakes in foil with sheeting (sheeting dipped in pineapple or orange or combination of juices. Add rum or brandy if desired too.)
Let sit in refrigerator for one week.
Repeat dipping sheet and wrap again. Repeat again in another week if cakes are uneaten.
Snowflake Cookie Cutter Platter
I bought some new cookie cutters for a Snowflake Cookie Platter since I love to make and give cookies for the holidays.
Original Platter Picture – iced with royal icing
Platter 1
Platter 2
Platter 3
Variations of decorating for inspiration
Platter 2 variation
Platter 3 Variation
Variation for Decorations for Inspiration
Cookie Cutters for Snowflake platter for reference
Gingerbread House Kit 2020 Cookie Cutters
I bought some new cookie cutters in December 2020 to make a gingerbread house using a molasses cookie dough. I did not want to put together a full house but thought that a platter of cookies with these shapes would work. Will try again at another time to make in the shape of a gingerbread house and decorate the cookies.
Due to major shipping delays with the Covid Virus infecting everyone and postal service backlog of deliveries the cookie cutters never arrived in time for me to try them out for the holiday. Big disappointment.
Gingerbread House Cookie Kit
Best Cut-Out Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
1 ½ cups butter softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
5 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer), beat together butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Add eggs, one at time with mixer running on low. Turn mixer up to medium and beat until well combined for about 2-3 minutes. Add extracts as mixer is going.
Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.
Place about 1 cup dough mixture onto parchment paper or wax paper that has been dusted with powdered sugar and cover with an additional sheet of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out to ¼ inch thickness and place in sealed storage bag or large covered container.
General Tips
- For best results, be sure to use room temperature eggs and butter.
- Re-roll sugar cookie dough scraps up to 3 times (refrigerating dough in-between if the dough becomes warm and squishy)
- If using sprinkles, it is best to put on the cut out cookies before baking.
- If icing these cut out cookies, let the cookies cool completely before icing.
- Sugar Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 5 days. Be sure to store in the refrigerator if cookies are iced and let them come to room temperature before enjoying for best taste.
- To Freeze Baked Cut-Out Cookies, allow cookies to cool fully and then place into a sturdy freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 months.
- To Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough, Place dough on parchment paper in flattened rounds. Place the dough into a freezer-safe bag and tightly seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough out in the fridge the night before baking. And then roll out and bake as directed.
- Bake Sugar Cookies. Bake for 6-7 minutes at 400 degrees. Bake until the tops of the cookies are just set. Don’t let the bottoms brown too much, or these cookies will lose the softness they are known for. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking tray for 1 to 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Original Recipe Source: The BEST Cut-Out Cookie Recipe https://amindfullmom.com/best-cut-out-cookie-recipe/ November 28, 2020
Made recipe 2020. Excellent taste. Left dough in refrigerator two days before rolling. Should have rolled per instructions since it was a huge hard ball of dough that was hard to portion out to roll out and needed to soften first. Should have made cookies a little thicker for softer cookies. Very similar to Mom’s crispy cutout cookie recipe but has butter instead of shortening. these taste better than Mom’s recipe. This is the Sugar Cookie recipe you have been looking for! This recipe produces the most perfect Cut Out Cookie EVERY single time. They bake up soft, are full of flavor, and the dough holds its shape while baking.
HOW TO FREEZE SUGAR COOKIES
You can freeze both iced and un-iced sugar cookies in the freezer, keeping in mind that iced cookies will not retain their flavor as long when stored in the freezer as plain sugar cookies do.
FOR NON ICED SUGAR COOKIES
- Bake as directed and allow the cookies to cool fully.
- Place the cookies into a freezer-safe container, separated by layers of parchment or wax paper, and freeze for up to 2 months.
FOR ICED SUGAR COOKIES
- Place decorated cookies onto a cookie sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. This will keep the icing from sticking to other cookies or parchment paper.
- Once the icing is hard to the touch, transfer cookies to a freezer-safe container, being sure to place a layer of parchment paper or wax paper in between layers of cookies.
- Iced Cut Out Cookies will last in the freezer for 4-6 weeks.
FREEZING SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH
- Prepare cookie dough as directed.
- Divide the sugar cookie dough into 3-4 sections and place each section on parchment paper.
- Cover each section of dough with another piece of parchment paper and lightly flatten the dough into an even disk.
- Place the sugar cookie dough into a freezer-safe bag and tightly seal.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To bake, place dough in the refrigerator the night before to thaw. Roll out and bake as directed.
- The cookies are buttery and soft. If rolled too thin they will be crispy.
- They hold their shape perfectly when baked–meaning you actually know if your cookie is supposed to be a Christmas tree or whatever shape you used!
- These sugar cookies are NOT bland in flavor. You can eat them plain or iced and will thoroughly enjoy them.
- Even after rolling and re-rolling, and re-rolling some more, these Cut Out Cookies turn out tender and perfectly baked.
- They can be made months in advance and frozen for future use.
- To prevent cookies from spreading be sure your dough is well-chilled and re-chill your scraps after they get warm before cutting into more shapes. You also do not want to grease your cookie sheet. Use parchment paper or a nonstick pan instead.
Why powdered sugar?
I strongly suggest you use powdered sugar instead of flour for rolling out the sugar cookie dough. The powdered sugar works to keep the dough from sticking to your work surface just like flour, but the powdered sugar dissolves into the cookie when baked. Meaning, no raw flour taste or cookie coated in white dust.
How do you roll out sugar cookie dough evenly?
To roll out sugar cookie dough, I think it is best to roll out your cookie dough before refrigerating. It is MUCH EASIER to manage. To ensure the dough is even when rolled out, my tip is to use wooden spoons on either side of the cookie dough. These wooden handles work as a guide so that your dough will be rolled out to the same depth as the handle, about ¼ inch-evenly across the parchment paper or working surface.
What if sugar cookies look under-baked?
Do not be tempted to over-bake sugar cookies. They should be very blond in color and just set to the touch. Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes to continue cooking a bit after removing from the oven and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Sugar cookies will go from perfectly cooked, to very crispy and browned in a matter of a minute or two and will lose the soft texture they are known for.
How many times can I re-roll dough scraps?
After you cut out as many cookies as you can, place the scraps together to form a ball of dough and roll out the sugar cookie dough again and cut out additional cookies. After that process has been repeated, place the 2nd batch of scraps together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and roll out the sugar cookie dough one final time. That is a total of 3 times for rolling out sugar cookie dough. Any additional rolling after that will result in an overworked cookie that will be tough and burn easily.
How to Make the Most Delicious Christmas Butter Cookies
Butter cookies are a holiday classic for a reason: They’re delicious, versatile, and make the perfect foundation for sugary-sweet frosting. Using the cookie cutter of your choice, turn this basic dough into stars, Christmas trees, and more. But don’t stop here: Try more of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes!
Editor’s Note: This recipe was updated on December 23, 2020 to clarify that you need to add salt to the dough if using unsalted butter.
1 c. unsalted butter (no substitutions), at room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Assorted colored granulated sugars for decorating
Ornamental Frosting
Preheat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. Increase speed to high, beat until light and creamy. At low speed, beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt just until blended.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each piece with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.
On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece of dough 1/8 inch thick. With floured 2- to 3-inch assorted cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible, wrap and refrigerate trimmings. Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on large ungreased cookie sheet, sprinkle cookies with colored sugar now if you like, or frost with Ornamental Frosting after baking.
Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. If you like, brush colored sugar remaining on cookie sheets onto piece of waxed paper to use again. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings.
When cookies are cool, prepare Ornamental Frosting if you like, use to decorate cookies as desired. Sprinkle colored sugars as desired on frosting before it dries. Allow frosting to dry completely, about 1 hour. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks.
Notes: reviews on the website for this recipe have mixed comments. Many folks had issues with the recipes – too dry and not the best recipe to use. I have not made this recipe but added to the collection to try at another time.
Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a4281/christmas-butter-cookies-1129/
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Dates
Original Source: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/sticky-toffee-pudding-recipe/
Adaption One: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/warm-sticky-toffee-pudding/
Adaption Two (mine made in 2020 ) – same basic recipe but I used dark brown sugar, molasses and added some candied fruit. Definitely need to serve warm!!
Sticky Toffee Pudding demands to be served warm. I mean, think about it: soft dates, gobs of toffee, and buttery cake. If you’re going to eat a cake smothered in creamy, sugary toffee sauce, if you don’t eat it warm, you’re missing out on of one life’s great pleasures.
For the toffee sauce
2 cups (500ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (90g) demerara or muscovado sugar, or another dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup or molasses
pinch of salt
For the pudding
6 ounces (180g) pitted dates, snipped or chopped
1 cup (250ml) water
1 teaspoon baking soda
optional: 1/3 cup (40g) candied ginger, chopped
1 1/4 cups (175g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350F (190C) and butter an 8 1/2-inch (24cm) porcelain soufflé dish (or similar-sized baking dish.)
2. Make the toffee sauce by bringing the cream, demerara or turbinado sugar, golden syrup (or molasses) and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring often to melt the sugar.
3. Lower heat and simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick and coats the spoon. Pour half the sauce into the prepared soufflé dish and place the dish in the freezer, and reserve the other half for serving.
4. To make the pudding, in a medium saucepan, heat the dates and water. Once the water begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Add the ginger, if using, then set aside, but keep it slightly warm.
5. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then the vanilla. (Don’t be alarmed if the mixture looks a bit curdled.)
7. Stir in half of the flour mixture, then the date mixture, then add the remaining flour mixture until just mixed. Don’t overbeat the batter.
8. Remove the soufflé dish from the freezer and scrape the batter into the soufflé dish and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
9. Remove the pudding from the oven, and let cool slightly before serving.
Serving: Spoon portions of the cake into serving bowls and douse with additional warm toffee sauce. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream are good accompaniments, although I enjoy it just as it is.
Note: To make the pudding in advance, bake the cake without the toffee in the bottom. Let cool, then cover until close to serving time. Poke the cake about fifteen times with a chopstick. Distribute half of the sauce over the top, as shown in the photo, cover with foil, then re-warm in a 300F (150C) oven, for 30 minutes.
Spritz Cookies
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp almond flavoring
Cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. When sell-mixed, add egg and beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, and then sift a second time with the baking powder and add gradually to the creamed mixture. Add almond flavoring and mix well.
Put in a cookie press with the desired plate and press out on un-greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle cookies with colored sugar if desired before baking. Bake in a 400 degree oven F about 12 minutes or until set (not brown). Makes 5 dozen cookies.
Source: handwritten recipe card created during teen age years while learning cooking and baking from my mother (with misspelled Spritz). I am still using the original Mirror brand cookie press that belonged to my mother.and still have the orignal box and contents (except for the recipe booklet). The box for the cookie press still has the sales tag on it that says it was bought on Broadway from Stattler Dept Store and sold for $2.59. This must have been a gift to my mother from Aunt EllaMay or Aunt Edna since my aunts often shopped in the high end dept stores and had been to NYC. To the best of my knowledge my mother never went to NYC but the aunts both did.
Sweet Potatoes – Yams Toppings
After cooking Sweet Potatoes or Yams Mix and Match favorite toppins and Enjoy
SWEET
Brown Sugar
Butter
Cinnamon
Raisins
Walnuts
Marshmallows
Pecans
Cream Cheese
Apples
SAVORY
Black Beans
Salsa
Rosemary and Olive Oil
Carlic Aioli
Spinach
Chicken
Broccoli and Cheddar
White Beans and Kale
Sausage
Goat Cheese