LOS ANGELES TIMES    FOOD

Los Angeles Times | HOLIDAY COOKIE BAKE-OFF
 
      Help   New User: 
   Welcome       Submit Your Cookie Recipe       Vote       Sign Up to Vote   
 
Please note the following:
 1 Voting is no longer available for round 1
 2 You must be logged in to comment. If you are a new user, go to the registration tab to register. If you are an existing user, login above.
 
 
View Gallery View Slideshow
 
325 of 342
 
<< First   < Previous   
Slideshow   Off Fast Medium Slow
   Next >   Last >>
 
Cookie Recipe Title:  Amazing Sugar Cookies and Icing
Vote Totals:  1510
   
 
   
Amanda's Amazing Sugar Cookies
1-½ cup Butter (I Use Unsalted)
2 cups Sugar
2 whole Eggs
2 whole Eggs Yolks
4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Almond Extract
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Powder

In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.

Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks and mix until combined.

Add in vanilla and almond extract; mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add flour to butter mixture and combine. You can use a mixer or not, just depends on how strong you are.

I usually just mix ingredients until they are combined, as I have heard that if you over-mix this dough it will get tough.

Put dough in some Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out, cut out cookies, and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Amanda's Awesome Icing
1 cup Confectioners Sugar (powder Sugar)
1 Tablespoon Milk
1 drop Lemon Juice (fresh Or Processed)
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
Combine powder sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl.

******This next step is important!******If you need a thicker frosting, say for outlining your cookies, add LESS milk.

Just a drop at a time. If you have already outlined your cookies and need a to fill in or ’spill’ your cookies, you can add more milk (as much as you would need) to make your frosting very runny.

If you are using food coloring, be sure to use LESS milk. Most food colorings are liquid and can make your frosting more runny. If you are using a gel food coloring, your milk quantity can remain the same.

If you want to add different flavors, you can add drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon, etc. to flavor your frosting.

If you want more SHINE, use more corn syrup and less milk. This frosting will stay good for days in the fridge.
 
Essay:  This recipe was ground breaking for me in that it changed how I perceived myself in the kitchen.

I am not a great cook and am still a beginning baker, but this recipe is one of those magical concoctions that can transform even the most horrific of wannabe chefs.
The children have helped me make it on at least a hundred different occasions, and are delighted and excited every single time!
One of their greatest moments is giving away the finished product...every year we make these cookies and donate them to local law enforcement and church bakes sales, hoping that they will bring the same joy and delight to the receiver as they do the creator.

I cant say we wouldn't find ways to enjoy our Holiday season without the recipe, but the insatiable joy it brings to everyone who sees and samples it is addictive to say the least!
 
 
 
 
User Comment
marla Amanda, your sugar cookies must win! Looks like an amazing recipe :)
Sun, Nov 14 2010 5:27 AM
IcyWit This cookie recipe is the best. If you don't care for almond - add a different extract. If they were dry - maybe they were baked too long or the oven temp is off. I've never had a problem with this recipe turning out great cookies!
Mon, Nov 08 2010 6:00 AM
bkpdohc Yummy
Sun, Nov 07 2010 11:23 AM
abannor poor Mr/Ms LoveCook...sounds like you had a bad day.
Fri, Nov 05 2010 7:36 PM
hazel Gorgeous cookies!
Tue, Nov 02 2010 3:28 PM
chad I made them and they were moist (for a full day before I got around to frosting them) and I found the hint of almond to be such a refreshing touch to the classic sugar cookie.
Thu, Oct 28 2010 8:35 AM
LoveCook these turned out not so good. really don't care for almond flavor and they were kind of dry
Tue, Oct 26 2010 12:59 AM
 
 
   Official Rules   

Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookie Bake-Off

    Powered by © UPICKEM    All rights reserved.
   
  Coastline Pilot | Daily Pilot | Huntington Beach Independent | Valley Sun | Burbank Leader | News Press | KTLA | Hoy | Brand X | LA, Los angeles Times Magazine | ZAP2it
Baltimore Sun | Chicago Tribune | Daily Press | Hartford Courant | Los Angeles Times | Orlando Sentinel | Sun Sentinel | The Morning Call

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California, 90012 | copyright 2010
  Photo left: ANNE CUSACK Los Angeles Times; photo right: thinkstockphotos.com