Frosted Sugar Cookies

We all need a little dessert every now and then.  If you're looking for sweet, this recipe fits the bill.   I made these for a bridal shower, along with Scotch shortbread cookies, and interspersed the two among my pretty white china plates.  They were beautiful.

Frosted sugar cookies (in pink), surrounded by Scotch shortbread cookies.

I took home empty plates.

Credit:  I found the original recipe here on High Heels & Grills.  I think she got the original elsewhere, too (she's got the link in her blog post), so you know these cookies are good.

Also, if you click on over to the other recipe, you'll see pictures of beautiful square cookies.  I wanted to try making little hearts with my Pampered Chef heart cutout (about 1.5" in diameter), so mine look different.  Squares are a lot easier; trust me on this.


Frosted Sugar Cookies

Cookies

2 1/2 cups pastry flour (I use the really good stuff with the bran/wheat intact; substitute all-purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (I use Rumford aluminum-free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup cane juice crystals (or sugar)
1 egg (I use pasture-raised fresh)
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  (The longer you beat it, the fluffier your cookies will be.)  Add egg and combine well.  Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until completely blended.  Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Gently press the batter into the greased baking dish and spread out with hands.  If things get sticky, butter or oil your hands.  Place dish in oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until edges become lightly golden.  Set aside to cool completely.  Completely.  I mean it.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup half-n-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
several drops of food coloring, if desired

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, powdered sugar, and half-n-half until light and fluffy.  Stir in vanilla and salt; combine well.  Add food coloring until desired color is achieved.  Frost your cooled cookie in an even layer; cut into squares and serve.

That's the recipe in words; here it is in yummy pictures:

The dough is really soft!

Gently press into the baking dish (I used a 13x9 Pampered Chef stoneware)

Aaand, since I doubled the recipe, I also used a glassware dish.  :)

Golden on the edges.

Let it cool completely--or your frosting will melt and you'll have a mess.

I tinted my frosting pink for the bridal shower--a red, white, and pink affair.

Spread the frosting evenly on the sheet cookie.

Cut your cookies into squares and lift out with a spatula.  I used a little heart cookie cutter.

Once I was able to lift the sheet cookie out of the pan, I worked on a cutting board.

There were a lot of frosted pieces left when I used a cookie cutter.  But I have guys at home who helped me out and ate all the pieces.  Thanks, guys!  (Of course I ate some, too--I had to test them, y'know.)

The finished cookies.  Don't use a cookie cutter unless you have a lot of time to kill.  Trust me.

Remember, they're not cooling on that rack above!  They're already cooled.  Completely.  No, I didn't mess up that step; I just want to make sure you don't either.

Frosted sugar cookies and Scotch shortbread cookies, ready for a bridal shower.

Back to life,
Christine

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