Tis the season to be cookied

Greetings from a very snowy Sweden! As I type, the snow is swirling and floating downward to the ground, covering everything in its path. Today I just can't seem to find my energy and would like nothing more than to wrap up in a fleece blanket and drink hot cocoa while I watch a movie...
However, that wish cannot come true yet, since I have a task of baking ahead of me. This is my final baking for this group of 40 people, but I think it will end with a bang! I have decided to bake traditional American style Christmas sugar cookies with butter cream frosting (colored of course to fit the season). I have several cookie cutouts that I will use, but have to search for a Christmas tree shape which was always a favorite of mine as a child. Christmas cookies, were a blast to make when I was young and I admit they are still a blast. I love to cut out the different shapes, bake them, smell them as they bake, and decorate them once they have cooled. It's always hard not to get a little stomach ache, from licking your fingers after each decorated cookie, but this time I will refrain from that.

Well I better get started on this project that I know will take all afternoon and tomorrow morning to complete.

I am excited about my next baking endeavor on Thursday, as I have a fun surprise in order.

Until my next entry let your taste buds tingle with delight!
Barefoot and Baking in the kitchen

Here is the Sugar Cookie Recipe: (Note: I never use Crisco, since for one, Sweden doesn't have it and two I think it's really bad. So if you are like me, use margarine or real butter. Also I added 1 tsp. of almond extract to one of the batches and it tasted great! You can do that, as well as, adding 1 tsp. to the frosting for those cookies if you want.)

Sugar Cookies

A simple sugar cookie recipe with a tender, flaky texture and a buttery taste. Yum!

Makes about 24

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix until just combined. Add flour and baking powder in intervals. Dough will seem as if doesn't have enough moisture but continue to mix with mixer until combined (it will come together when chilled). Divide the dough into four equal parts, shape into four disks, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper, about 1/4 inch thick for crispier cookies and 1/3 inch thick for softer cookies. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until edges just start to turn a golden color. For softer cookies, do not allow the cookies to take on color. Remove from oven, let cool for one minute and then transfer to wire rack. Allow cookie sheet to cool thoroughly before placing uncooked dough on it.
Can be stored in freezer undecorated for 2 months. Dough also freezes well.

Note: Yield varies greatly depending on how thin you roll out the dough and how large your cookie cutters are, but an overall guideline is 24 cookies.

Buttercream Frosting

Using shortening in this recipe instead of real butter makes the frosting much more stable and long-lasting for cookies that are going to sit out a while before consumption.

1 cup Butter-Flavored or Golden Crisco ( solid vegetable shortening )
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 fluid ounces heavy cream
gel or paste food coloring (optional)

Cream shortening until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add additional cream a teaspoon at a time if necessary to achieve the right consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy. If desired, divide frosting into several small bowls and stir in food coloring to create various colors of buttercream frosting.

Variations:

For a pure white frosting, use white shortening and clear vanilla.

For a whiter colored frosting that uses real butter but still holds up well at room temperature, use 1/2 cup white shortening and 1/2 cup unsalted butter.