Grinch Cookies

Sugar Cookies

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Small Batch Sugar Cookies

*1/2 Cup Butter

*1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

*2 1/2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

*1 Egg

*1 teaspoon Vanilla

*1/8 teaspoon Almond Extract

*3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

*1/3 teaspoon Salt

*3 Cups All- purpose Flour, Sifted

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In a stand mixer with paddle slow-medium speed, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powder sugar. Then mix in egg, vanilla and almond extract to the creamed mixture, slowly add sifted flour until the dough forms a sticky ball, careful not to over mix. Remove dough and form a ball (if dough is extra sticky add more flour). On a piece of plastic wrap, place the dough ball and flatten and wrap up dough and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.

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On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough (1/4 inch thick or thicker for soft chewy cookie) and cut into desired shape. Place cookies on a Silpat covered cookie sheet or use parchment paper for best results and bake at 400* F. for 7-8 minutes. Don’t let cookies turn brown on top or bottom but are cooked until no longer shiny , careful not to over bake.

Allow cookies to cool before frosting or freezing.

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Cookies should be allowed to rest for a few hours if using Soft Royal Icing or Royal Icing.

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Recipe makes around a dozen cookies depending on the size of cookies.

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Soft Royal Icing

(I cut this recipe in half for the small batch sugar cookies)

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*4 Tablespoons Meringue Powder

*1/2 Cup Water

*1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

*1 Tablespoon Crisco (White Shortening)

*1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup

*8 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted (1 kg)

*Food Coloring Paste or food coloring, any colors needed

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In a stand mixer with paddle, whip on medium speed the meringue powder and water until foamy or since it’s such a small batch shake in a mason jar with lid until foamy and add to mixer bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients adding the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired thickness for decorating.

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Divide the frosting into bowls to make individual colors, the number of bowls will depend on how many colors needed. In the case of the Grinch cookies 4 bowls, you will need the most icing for the: Green (I used a drop of green and three drops neon green), white, red and black. If possible let the icing sit for a day after coloring icing to intensify color, mostly for red and black.

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You can use piping bags with tips, but with this soft Royal icing I prefer the bottles for large flooding areas and use a piping bag for detail work, like when using the black on the Grinch cookies or I even used a tooth pick, dipping into the black and making face details.

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Pipe a line of icing in a continuous line around the area of cookie of that color your using and allow to dry slightly before flooding or filling the center with the same color. If you have not decorated cookies this way before see the barefoot baker for tips and tricks.

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Large Batch Sugar Cookies

*1 1/2 cups Butter, room temperature

*1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

*1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar

*4 Eggs, room temperature

*1 teaspoon Vanilla

*1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract

*5-6 cups All-purpose Flour, sifted (sifting really makes a difference) add more flour if needed

*2 teaspoons Baking Powder

*1 teaspoon Sea Salt

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Make and bake the large batch soft sugar cookies the same as above. Recipe adapted from Sprinkle and Dash