Valentine's Sugar Cookies

Here is one more Valentine's treat! Every year the collegiate chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota that I was initiated into has a bake sale for Valentine's Day. They usually have 2-3 bake sales a year and as a member I always got really excited when one started to get close because that meant I got to bake something! So this year, even though I have now graduated, I decided to make a special treat to send to the girls for the bake sale! I'll use any excuse I can find to bake something! ;)

I decided to make some Valentine's sugar cookies so I could try out a new decorating technique and I think they turned out pretty well! I forgot to take pictures until the last minute so that is why most of the pictures are of the cookies already bagged and in the box!

I think this one was my favorite! I didn't plan on making black (or I guess dark grey) and white flowers, but I started running out of pink so I gave it a try and I think they turned out beautifully!

These were probably my second favorite, simple, yet pretty! I probably need to get some more practice with writing on cookies though... 

Onto the box pictures! Haha. Here is the first layer of cookies that went into the box! So pretty! I will definitely make these again!

...and the second layer!

...and the top layer! 

I hope you liked my cookies because I sure enjoyed making them!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

I just opened a shop on Etsy and these beautiful Christmas cookies are for sale!!

These scrumptious sugar cookies are perfect for holiday parties, gifts, or just to create a little extra holiday cheer! Each cookie is hand decorated with vanilla royal icing and range in height from 3.25'' to 3.75''. For more information go to: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheHungryHood

Please message me if you have any questions about the cookies, or special requests!

Scroll down for some close up shots of the cookies!

Snowman:

Christmas Stocking #1:

Christmas Stocking #2:

Christmas Tree:

Candy Cane:

Stars:

Another shot of all the cookies!

Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, basically chocolate chip cookies are delicious. I think that's really all the explanation I need. You should make chocolate chip cookies. End of story. But I will go on... I think chocolate chip cookies are especially delicious when they are fresh out of the oven because they are warm and soft! This recipe for chocolate chip cookies is great because the cookies don't get hard the day after baking them. They stay soft for several days and after popping them in the microwave for a few seconds they taste like they are fresh out of the oven!

To make about 3 dozen cookies you will need:

• 3/4 cup BUTTER, unsalted
• 3/4 cup BROWN SUGAR, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup SUGAR
• 1 large EGG & 1 large EGG YOLK
• 2 tsp VANILLA
• 2 & 1/4 cup FLOUR
• 1 tsp BAKING SODA
• 1 & 1/2 tsp CORNSTARCH
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1 & 1/2 cup CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Then cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until the mixture is fluffy and light. 

Next, mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Once that has been combined, add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.

Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips!

Form balls of dough about the size of a walnut and space them about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Try to not eat all of the dough first ;)

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are slightly brown around the edges and golden brown on top!

Since my husband and I don't need to eat 3 dozen cookies at once and I like cookies fresh out of the oven, I only bake up a few cookie at a time and wrap the rest of the dough in cling wrap which I store in the fridge. This also allows me to eat some of the dough when I make the next batch... ;)

Yummm... cookies... :)

---

Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup BUTTER, unsalted
• 3/4 cup BROWN SUGAR, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup SUGAR
• 1 large EGG & 1 large EGG YOLK
• 2 tsp VANILLA
• 2 & 1/4 cup FLOUR
• 1 tsp BAKING SODA
• 1 & 1/2 tsp CORNSTARCH
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1 & 1/2 cup CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Directions:

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Then cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until the mixture is fluffy and light. 
2. Next, mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Once that has been combined, add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
3. Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips!
4. Form balls of dough about the size of a walnut and space them about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. 
5. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are slightly brown around the edges and golden brown on top!

---

I based this recipe on one that I found on the following blog:
http://lingonberryjam.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/soft-baked-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Nutter Butter Ghost Cookies

 

These are one of my favorite cookies to make for Halloween! They are perfect for Halloween parties, bake sales, or just for fun! And they are super easy!

To make them you will need:

• 1 package WHITE ALMOND BARK (you will not need the whole package unless you are making A LOT of cookies)
• 1 package NUTTER BUTTERS
• 1 bag MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Melt a few blocks of the almond bark in a small bowl. Dip a nutter butter cookie three fourths way into the almond bark so it looks like the picture above. Lay the cookie onto a piece of wax paper and then stick two mini chocolate chips into the almond bark as eyes. Let the almond bark set up and then serve! That's it!

The last time I made them was for a bake sale. Here are a few pictures of things other people made for the bake sale!

---

Nutter Butter Ghost Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 package WHITE ALMOND BARK (you will not need the whole package unless you are making A LOT of cookies)
• 1 package NUTTER BUTTERS
• 1 bag MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Directions:

1. Melt a few blocks of the almond bark in a small bowl. 
2. Dip a nutter butter cookie three fourths way into the almond bark so it looks like the picture above. 
3. Lay the cookie onto a piece of wax paper and then stick two mini chocolate chips into the almond bark as eyes. 
4. Let the almond bark set up and then serve! That's it!

---

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

These cookies are perfect for the fall. They are apple cider cookies with a gooey caramel filling! This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies, so I generally half the recipe.

To make them you will need:

• 1 cup BUTTER, softened
• 1 cup SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1 box ALPINE SPICED APPLE CIDER INSTANT ORIGINAL DRINK MIX (not sugar free!), all 10 packets
• 2 EGGS
• 1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 tsp BAKING SODA
• 1/2 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1 tsp CINNAMON
• 3 cups FLOUR
• 1 bag KRAFT CARAMELS (14 oz.) or HOMEMADE CARAMEL SQUARES

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and apple cider until it becomes fluffy. Next, beat in one egg at a time and add the vanilla, making sure that all the ingredients are incorporated well.

In a small bowl whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter & egg mixture. Mix until all ingredients are just combined.

Optional: Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. This makes the dough easier to work with!

Take a rounded tablespoon of dough and wrap it around a caramel square making sure that the caramel is completely covered. Place this on a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Make sure the balls are about 2 inches apart on the parchment. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are light brown around the edges. Be careful not to over bake the cookies!

When the cookies are done baking, pull them out of the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet until the cookies are firm enough to stay in one piece when moved, but still warm. (If you allow them cool all the way they will become difficult to remove from the cookie sheet.) Twist each cookie gently to get them to come off of the cookie sheet and flip each cookie upside down to finish cooling.

These cookies are best eaten warm! (Especially if you use the Kraft Caramels) I generally warm them in the microwave for a few seconds so they are nice and gooey!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://scrambledhenfruit.blogspot.com/2010/11/caramel-stuffed-apple-cider-cookies.html

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are wonderful! They are gooey and chocolaty and easy to make! And unlike most cookie recipes, these have no flour or butter! That makes them healthy right? ;)

To make them you will need:

• 1 & 1/2 cups BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
• 3 LARGE EGG WHITES
• 2 & 1/2 cups POWDERED SUGAR
• 1/2 cup COCOA POWDER
• 1 Tbs CORNSTARCH
• 1/4 tsp SALT

While the oven is preheating to 350 degrees F, melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a small bowl and then set aside to cool.

While the chocolate is cooling put the 3 egg whites into a mixer and whisk until they are fluffy and will stand in soft peaks. Mix in 1 cup of the powdered sugar gradually.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt and another cup of powdered sugar. Using a low speed on your mixer, carefully add this dry mixture into the egg and sugar mixture.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the melted chocolate chips once they have cooled enough to not melt the chips that are being added. Next, add this chocolate mixture into the dough and mix thoroughly! The dough will get very thick!

Roll a rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball and then in a dish that has the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Your goal is to get a coating of powdered sugar all over the outside of the rounded ball of dough. Place the ball on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat with this process with the rest of the dough placing the balls about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes, until the tops are puffed and start to crack. I have a tendency to want to try to overcook them because they are somewhat gooey after 10 minutes if you look closely, but trust the recipe! They will continue to cook a little after you take them out of the oven and they are supposed to be a little gooey! After you pull them out of the oven, allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes and then eat them!!!

Hope you enjoy!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://www.picklee.com/2012/02/07/deep-dark-chocolate-cookies-butter-flourless/