Summer-inspired cookies . . . crab & lobster sugar cookies

How was your holiday? I hope it was great!

It's taken us a few 'down days,' but we've finally recovered from a busy and fun Fourth of July weekend. We spent a lot of time in the sun, at the beach, and at our friend's pool. On the evening of the Fourth, we enjoyed an incredible concert in The Park, along with a picnic dinner, and a fireworks show to end the celebration.

We have a prime spot where we spread out a big beach blanket and lay to watch the fireworks. Watching our little ones hold their dad's hand through the fireworks show is always a highlight for me. He would probably tell me that it's his favorite part of the whole weekend too (smile).

The Fourth always feels like the peak of Summer for us. This one-day holiday can easily turn into a three-day holiday when 'the Fourth' falls over a weekend.

I LOVE 'the Fourth' . . . and enjoy planning special activities, menus, and desserts for our family and friends.

Because we have our dessert - most of the time - at The Park, I try to think of fun, festive, and easy-to-transport treats, like these mini powder doughnut pinwheel kabobs that the Littles and I assembled in the afternoon before we left for the festivities.

 

I also made salted brown butter brown sugar cookies (crazy yummy!) and a few dozen of these Summer-inspired cookies for our little family to enjoy over the holiday.

I packaged several of them to share with friends as we saw them over the long weekend, too.

I gifted them in clear scalloped window boxes filled with turquoise crinkle paper. The crabs and lobsters looked so festive nestled in the ocean-colored base.

Our oldest daughter is crazy in love with all things ocean lately, so she was excited when I surprised her with crab and lobster cookies. 

There's not a science to decorating them . . . but it is important that you have fun while you're doing it! 

I didn't have (or create) a template for the sugar design. I just let my creative mind flow. They're far from perfect, but I think they came out pretty darn cute!

Here are a few tips if you plan to make them too . . .

I make the details on the cookies using a small paint brush, a simple sugar glaze - which acts as a glue, sanding sugars (brown and red), and tiny red nonpareils. 

I recommend adding the brown sanding sugar details first, let dry and shake off excess sugar; then 'paint' the glaze on the rest of the body, and sprinkle with red sanding sugar or nonpareils. 

I hope you're enjoying your Summer, too, and celebrating all this season brings . . . beautiful clouds, amazing fruits & vegetables!, picnics, ice cream that's never tasted better!, bright & bold flowers, impromptu field trips, and gorgeous sunsets.

crab & lobster sugar cookies
.     .     .     .     .     .

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

12 Tablespoons (1 ½  sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature

 powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough
red and brown sanding sugars, for decorating

.     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

To make the cookies, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt . . . set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a flattened ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly floured powder sugar surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until just golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pans and let cool completely.

Makes 10 to 20 cookies, depending on cutter size.

Sugar Cookie GLAZE

2 ¼  cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth
Using a small paint brush (or the tip of your finger), spread on top of cookies

Sprinkle sanding sugar on top of GLAZE when it's wet

The secret to a 'clean' sugar edge is not letting the glaze drip down the sides of the cookie.
A thick glaze is also key.
After the glaze has been mixed, add 1 Tablespoon of confectioners' sugar at a time, 
until you get the desired consistency.
Have fun!

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Spring-inspired rose water sugar cookies

How are your Easter celebration plans coming along?

I've been busy all week refining our Easter menu, and working on fun and special details for our kids, and my niece and nephews.

I thought it would be fun to share the recipe -  and a few photos -  of the bunny-shaped rose water sugar cookies that I'll be baking for my family this weekend to accompany our Easter dessert menu that will include a Lemon Honey Cream Ice Box Cake and Orange Spice Crumb Cake muffins.

These pretty little cookies are tender, smell like roses . . . and taste like sweet lemons. I love them!

I'm planning on tucking them into baskets and centerpieces, as well as placing them at our place settings for an extra special treat.

I baked some for our children's teachers this afternoon . . . and packaged them in clear cellophane bags with a little Easter grass and chocolate eggs. They came out darling!

I hope that I've inspired you to bake a batch of rose water sugar cookies with your little ones this weekend! Happy Spring baking!

rose water sugar cookies

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .   

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

12 Tablespoons (1 ½  sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 ½  teaspoon pure lemon extract
2 ½ teaspoons rose water 
1 egg, room temperature

 powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough
.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .    

You can find Rose Water in the International aisle of your market. 
It costs approximately $3-10 per bottle, depending on where you buy it.
Watermelon & rose water recipe, here.

Preparation

To make the cookies, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt . . . set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg, lemon, and rose water. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a flattened ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly floured powder sugar surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until just golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pans and let cool completely.

For a tender, slightly chewy cookie - do NOT over-bake. 

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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celebration sugar cookies with sour cream frosting

 

I'm in the works of planning some Valentine's fun for our little ones . . . as well as birthday celebrations for three of our four children.

February is a fun and crazy, busy month for our family with birthdays on the 6th, 11th, AND the 21st. Every weekend in February is booked with a birthday celebration (smile!).

I'm planning two special birthday brunches . . . and one special birthday afternoon for our oldest daughter, Charley, who's turning 7 years old in a few short weeks.

She's in the First Grade now, so I thought it would be fun for her to bring cookies (instead of cupcakes) to her class to share with all her friends and classmates . . . and CELEBRATION sugar cookies came to mind!

I LOVE these yummy soft and chewy sugar cookies for many reasons . . . their sour cream frosting has a tender tang that makes them addictive . . . and the frosting can be tinted and then decorated to fit any kind of celebration . . . simple or fancy. Yummy and versatile!

I tinted the frosting pink and added large red heart sprinkles for a little Valentine's touch; and for our daughter's birthday, she'll decorate them with her favorite confetti sprinkles.

Happy Valentine baking, friends!

soft & chewy CELEBRATION sugar cookies

.     .     .     .     .     .

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons water 

2 Eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 teaspoon salt 

5 1/2 cup all purpose flour 

.     .     .     .     .     .

Cream together the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable oil, water, and eggs. Mix until combined. 

Combine the dry ingredients and sift with a whisk. Slowly add to the butter mixture.

Mix until everything is combined.  Your dough should be tender, not sticky at all.

Roll golf ball sized balls of dough and place them on a cookie sheet.

Now its time to give them their signature rough edge.  Put 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above.)  Stick the bottom of a glass in it.  This is going to be your cookie press.

  

Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball.  You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass.  If there is a lip its even better.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes.  

They should just barely be browning on the bottom.  Move cookies to a cooling rack.  

Spread frosting in the shallow well on top of the cookies. Adorn with sprinkles and enjoy!

sour cream frosting

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 C sour cream, room temperature

Approximately 1- 2 lb package of powdered sugar 

1 t salt

1/4 cup milk, plus more for thinning (if needed)

food coloring

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Start by creaming together butter, sour cream, and salt.  

Slowly add powdered sugar.  

Add a splash of milk if it's too thick.   

Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency.  

Add 1 drop of food coloring, and whip on high for 1 minute.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

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North Star sugar cookies . . . and a nativity scene

I am so excited to share this cookie project with you!

It was inspired by my desire to remind our children through this holiday season why we celebrate Christmas.

It's so easy to get caught up in the "I want . . . " this time of year, and forget that we need to spend these weeks and days leading up to Christmas preparing for the coming of Christ.

During this time of Advent, I enjoy reading books about the meaning of Christmas to our children . . . as well as engaging in other enjoyable activities like cookie decorating, holiday crafts, and baking.

  

I enjoyed sharing with them about the Star of Bethlehem, also known as the North Star and Christmas Star . . . and its significance to the Three Wise Men, or Magi, and the birth of Christ.

Although they are familiar with the story already, it was through an activity like this one that allowed me to share the beautiful story of Christmas again with our children.
 

 

Did you notice that I suspended one of the cookies from a string above the nativity?

I think it gives this well-known scene a visual exclamation mark . . . and I love that!

Here's how I did it . . . Using a large pin, I poked a hole into the top of the cookie and strung fishing line through it. I then secured it to a bare branch. The weight of the cookie gently tugged on the branch, which I positioned over the nativity.

This cookie-inspired nativity turned out better than I had imagined!

Although you don't see The Three Wise Men in the photo, they weren't too far away; each of my little ones was holding one of them while I took these photos. 

Although I created this serene scene for, and with, my children . . . I think that it would be a beautiful scene for any holiday gathering. You can individually wrap/bag the cookies and invite guests to take one home . . . and then they, too, can take home a small piece of the Christmas story.

 

sugar cookies

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .   

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

12 Tablespoons (1 ½  sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature

 powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough
.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .    

Preparation

To make the cookies, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt . . . set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a flattened ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly floured powder sugar surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until just golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pans and let cool completely.

Makes 60 3-inch North Star cookies.

I bought the North Star cookie cutter from here.

 

Sugar Cookie GLAZE

2 ¼  cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth
Using a small paint brush (or the tip of your finger), spread on top of cookies

Sprinkle sanding sugar on top of GLAZE when it's wet

The secret to a 'clean' sugar edge is not letting the glaze drip down the sides of the cookie.

A thick glaze is also key.

After the glaze has been mixed, add 1 Tablespoon of confectioners' sugar at a time, 

until you get the desired consistency.

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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& Pinterest

Thank you for stopping by!

I love reading your comments and appreciate them so much!

old-fashioned chewy sugar cookies

The perfect sugar cookie is tender, moist, and chewy . . . with just the right amount of vanilla and sweetness. 

Have you ever wished that you had a fool-proof recipe for soft, moist, and chewy old-fashioned sugar cookies?

Well, it's no surprise that Cook's Illustrated, sister to America's Test Kitchen, gives us that . . . the perfect chewy sugar cookie.

I don't know about you, but I like having an arsenal of fool proof recipes, especially for baking.

My mother-in-law bought me this beautiful book for my birthday . . . and I've already tagged upwards of 50 recipes that I want to try out.

              Of all the recipes, I chose to make the Chewy Sugar Cookie first (big smile . . . and no surprise, I guess).

For a little Summer fun, the kids and I decorated them with bright and cheerful sprinkles.

They're delicious all by their lonesome with their tender sugar crust, but we've also enjoyed them topped with frosting and served up as ice cream sandwiches . . . just to give you a few more ideas.

One of the reasons I trust Cook's Illustrated (and America's Test Kitchen) recipes is because they share with readers why their recipes work.

Here's what they have to say about their recipe for Chewy Sugar Cookies.

Why this recipe works
excerpt from The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

Traditional recipes for sugar cookies require obsessive attention to detail. The butter must be at precisely the right temperature and it must be creamed to the proper degree of airiness. Slight variations in measures can result in cookies that spread or become brittle and hard upon cooling. We didn't want a cookie that depended on such a finicky process; we wanted an approachable recipe for great sugar cookies that anyone could make anytime. We melted the butter so our sugar cookie dough could easily be mixed together with a spoon - no more fussy creaming. Replacing a portion of the melted butter with vegetable oil ensured a chewy cookie without affecting flavor. And incorporating an unusual addition, cream cheese, into the cookie dough kept our cookies tender, while the slight tang of the cream cheese made for a rich, not-to-sweet flavor.

chewy sugar cookies

24 cookies

.     .     .     .     .     .

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 1/2 cups sugar, plus

1/3 cup sugar, for rolling

2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still warm

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

.     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

NOTE: The dough will be slightly softer than most. Handle as briefly, and as gently, as possible when shaping. Overworking the dough results in flatter cookies.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.

Place 1 1/2 cups sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 cups of sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. 

Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until soft homogeneous dough forms.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 tablespoons each. Using hands, roll dough into balls. 

Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and evenly space on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. 

Using bottom of a drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2" in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with 4 teaspoons of sugar remaining in shallow dish (2 teaspoons per baking sheet), discarding any remaining sugar.

Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating sheet after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Using wide spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

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