A Sweet Surprise

In honor of Valentine’s Day this year, I decided to send a little sugar-filled love to a handful of special ladies in my life.  These recipes might go against my greater attempts at healthfulness, but what fun is life without the sweet stuff now and again?!

These cookie recipes are all you need for the perfect roll-out cookie!

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

What You Need:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t salt

What You Do:

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. 
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla. 
3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
4. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 
5. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

 

What You Need:

1 package cake mix (I used Chocolate and Strawberry)

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 t. vanilla, almond, or lemon extract

1 egg

White or colored granulated sugar, optional

What You Do: 

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. 
2. In a large mixing bowl beat half of the dry cake mix, the shortening, the butter, vanilla, and egg with an electric mixer on medium high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary to make sure everything is well blended. 
3. Stir in the remaining cake mix just until incorporated. 
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. 
5. Roll each portion of dough 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured cloth-covered surface with a cloth-covered rolling pin, getting it as even as you can. 
6. Cut into desired shapes with your favorite cookie cutters. 
7. Place cookies 2-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. 
8. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges

Angie's Final Steps for a Sweet Surprise:

1. Ice with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk and a touch of almond OR lemon extract
2. Sprinkle with any edible cuteness you can find
3. Toss into a mason jar
4. Seal with a fabric square
5. Ribbon and tag your jars for a personal touch

Finally, pack and ship with LOVE!

I hope everyone had a SWEET Valentine's Day!

Recipes from All Recipes and Best Ever Cookie Collection