Directions
Soft Sugar Cookies
by Alison Tolbert
1 cup sour cream
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla (I like almond)
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla/almond. Beat for 2-3 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and mix well. Let the dough chill in fridge for 25 minutes or until firm.
Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to make shapes or circles. You may have to add a little flour to roll them out so the dough is workable but remember the less flour you use the softer your cookie will be.
Bake until LIGHT golden brown about 8-10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but they aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer.
Makes around 4 dozen.
Here's the frosting recipe I used:
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.
by Alison Tolbert
1 cup sour cream
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla (I like almond)
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla/almond. Beat for 2-3 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and mix well. Let the dough chill in fridge for 25 minutes or until firm.
Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to make shapes or circles. You may have to add a little flour to roll them out so the dough is workable but remember the less flour you use the softer your cookie will be.
Bake until LIGHT golden brown about 8-10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but they aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer.
Makes around 4 dozen.
Here's the frosting recipe I used:
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.
White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie
adapted slightly from For the Love of Cooking
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts
1 1/2 to 2 cups white chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl then set aside. Beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla with a mixer until creamy.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until just mixed. Stir in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips by hand. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges look golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 4-5 minutes so the cookies can set before moving to a rack.
Scream Cheese Brownies
Mix by hand:
1 brownie mix with ingredients required in mix (I like Betty Crocker's Triple Chunk Supreme or use half of this homemade brownie recipe: posted below)
Homemade brownie recipe:
8 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa
4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl. Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
Add melted butter and blend. In another bowl, mix flour and cocoa with a whisk until well blended.
Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined.
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa
4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl. Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
Add melted butter and blend. In another bowl, mix flour and cocoa with a whisk until well blended.
Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined.
Cream cheese layer:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
orange food coloring (optional)
Mix by hand your favorite brownie mix. Spread ½ of the brownie mixture in 9x13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and flour and mix well. Add orange food coloring to desired color. Spread cream cheese mixture on top. Drop remaining brownie batter on top and pull a knife through. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with chocolate icing when cool if desired.
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
orange food coloring (optional)
Mix by hand your favorite brownie mix. Spread ½ of the brownie mixture in 9x13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and flour and mix well. Add orange food coloring to desired color. Spread cream cheese mixture on top. Drop remaining brownie batter on top and pull a knife through. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with chocolate icing when cool if desired.
Caramel Topped Shortbread Bites
makes about 64 one inch square bites
Shortbread Layer:
- 10 tbsp. salted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Zest of half an orange
- 1 egg yolk, whisked
- 1 2/3 cups All Purpose flour
Caramel Topping:
- 14 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. orange extract
- Sea salt flakes, to top
Directions
Prepare an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper with the edges of the parchment hanging over two of the sides. This allows you to remove the bars easily once cooled.
Combine the melted butter, sugar, salt and zest with a fork in a large bowl. Add the yolk and again combine with the fork. Add the flour and stir with a heavy spoon or your hands and combine the dough until it is well combined. Place the dough in the prepared pan and press down evenly with your hands until the pan is covered. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour. Remove and bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes, until very lightly browned. Allow to cool while you are preparing the caramel.
In a heavy bottomed pot, such as enameled cast iron, combine all caramel topping ingredients save for the extracts. Bring to a boil and stir until sugars are dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Using a candy thermometer, watch for the goal of about 230 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the extracts. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then pour over the shortbread base. Sprinkle with sea salt, then refrigerate for several hours. Once chilled, cut into small squares, serve and enjoy!
Popcorn Cake
Pick out the kernels that didn’t pop…broken teeth aren’t so cute.
Now mix in 2 cups of M&M’s and 1 1/2 cups broken pretzel sticks..not crushed, just broken into smaller pieces…
Melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter over low in a large saucepan.
When melted add in a 16 oz bag of mini marshmallows (8 cups)
Stir until melted and smooth.
Remove from heat and pour over your popcorn mix.
Stir until all the ingredients are combined and then press into the prepared pan.
Cover with foil and let your cake set for at least an hour to cool.
When you are ready to serve the cake loosen sides of your cake from the pan by running a butter knife around the edges.
Flip your pan over onto your serving platter.
***Disclaimer: Although I have baked and tried each recipe none of the following recipes were created by me nor are any of these pictures taken by me (all are borrowed)
