Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Hey everybody!
I started working on these cookies this summer when my parents bought me a dinosaur cookie cutter. I baked a ton of them when I was home alone at 2 a.m. while my dog judged me. Using cookie cutters is a little time consuming no matter what, but these are pretty simple overall. They make a million cookies.
Glazed sugar cookies! I searched for this recipe online and then tweaked it a little bit as I experimented with the dough. The frosting especially has a lot of room for experimentation, so definitely play with it until you find what suits your taste.
Recipe originally from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 2 cups white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 4-5 teaspoons milk
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest from about 1 lemon/ orange
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar. As always, I used my hands for this before switching to a spoon or spatula. This is only tricky when you’re trying to clean your hands, but I think just wiping them off is the most effective method. Do this until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
3. Add in the eggs and vanilla. I put in a little bit more vanilla than the recipe called for, which worked out well.
4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. I decided to throw in the cinnamon for more flavor, and I loved the way they came out. You could also try some other flavors, such as nutmeg or a citrus flavor. If you want just the regular cookies, leave the cinnamon out.
4. Your dough is ready! I’d recommend putting it into the fridge for a while, at least thirty to sixty minutes. I ended up just putting it into the freezer because I had limited time. Don’t put it into the freezer for too long and remember to roll it a little bit before flattening it and you’ll be fine.
5.While your dough is in the fridge, clean up your stuff and make a clear work surface.
Make sure you have a lot of space. If you are flouring your work surface, which you should, the flour will get everywhere. I used parchment paper as my original work surface and then just cleared away the dough when I cut the shapes. As long as your dough isn’t sticking to the surface too much, you can also just move the cookies onto the tray later. But you should probably use parchment paper.
6. Flour the surface and your rolling pin. I used a bottle as a rolling pin because I am 21 and I don’t own a rolling pin.
7. Take a section of your dough and flatten it a little on the work surface before rolling it out so it’s about ¼ inch thick all around.
8. Use either cookie cutters or a knife to cut your cookies into shapes. If you want just circles, you can also use an upside down cup.
9. Put your cookies into the oven for about 6 minutes. Keep a close eye on them; they’re pretty thin and can burn easily. School ovens can also be a little unreliable.
10. Do this until the dough is done or you get bored. You can keep the dough in the fridge for a while, so don’t worry about doing all of the cookies in one batch.
Once the cookies are cool, it’s time to frost them.
To make the frosting, just mix a bunch of stuff together and see what tastes good.
11. Start with the powdered milk and sugar. Add in the corn syrup and vanilla, and then your zested rind.
I zested lemons into the frosting this summer, while this time I went with oranges, mostly because I forgot to buy lemons. Both times it was great. The ratios are subject to change, so just use your best judgment.
You can use a spoon, pastry brush, or pastry bag to frost the cookies. I used a pastry brush, which I thought produced great results. You can also do designs on the cookies if you want, or use chocolate chips to make eyes.
12. Let the glaze dry.
You will probably make a huge mess doing this, since the glaze drips everywhere and you might accidentally fling a lot of it around the room. Clean up.
These cookies are fantastic, fun to look at, and a huge hit. Just be really careful to not put them into a Ziploc bag because they will all break.
Good luck!
Thanks to Lauren Kim for baking the cookies with me and taking the pictures.