STEPHANIE'S SLICE OF LIFE

Sugar cookies are such a fun cookie as you can make them into so many different shapes, sizes, and colors. I just made a batch in the shape of elephants for some students at my daughter’s college, whose mascot is an elephant. Next month I will be making some shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day. The other good thing about them is if you don’t feel like adorning them with colored sugar or frosting, they are just as tasty plain. Here is the recipe I use:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter flavor Crisco

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

In a large bowl combine the crisco, sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Beat in the egg.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add into the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until combined.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours.

When you are ready to make the cookies, roll out the dough on a floured board and cut into shapes. Maybe about 1/8 – 1/4″ thick.

Re-flour the board every time you roll out a new batch. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Remove immediately from pan to cooling rack.

I have never been very good at decorating cookies, but I found this really easy technique on-line that worked well. For the icing combine:

2 cups powdered sugar

4-5 tbsps. half and half

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Food coloring

Mix the ingredients together until they form a thick icing. Dip the cookies into the icing and hold over the bowl for about 15 seconds allowing the excess icing to drip off. Then quickly turn the cookie over and gently move side to side to let the icing cover the entire cookie evenly. Allow to set on a wire rack.