This holiday season I decided that I wanted to learn how to make pretty sugar cookies.
Lucky for me I know a couple of ladies who make gorgeous cookies and some are even in the cookie business.
I asked one of my friends if she would share her cookie recipe. This recipe came from Leigh-Ann aka Whisky Ginger. She uses some specialty ingredients that aren’t in my pantry so I adapted it to a commoners recipe and they are still delicious.
Emulsions and pastes can be found online and I saw them in Michaels recently too. Since the recipe worked with regular extracts I just buy them at Aldi and call it a day.
Every batch is spot on and this recipe has never failed me.
WHISKY GINGER CUT OUT COOKIE RECIPE
2 sticks salted butter (cold and cubed)
1cup sugar
1 egg
1 TBSP almond extract (she uses 2 TBSP almond emulsion which I didn’t have and just use 1 TBSP almond extract )
1 TBSP vanilla extract ( she uses vanilla bean paste but I didn’t have that and just use vanilla extract )
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
Parchment paper
- Preheat oven 350
- Cream butter and sugar together
- Add egg
- Add extracts and baking powder
- Slowly add flour. Dough should be firm and crumbly at first then have a soft texture and not stick to the side of the bowl. If too sticky add one tsp at a time
Roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin (if you don’t have a rolling pin try a wine bottle).
To keep the cookie dough level and the same thickness you can slide bands on your rolling pin. I didn’t have these initially but they are helpful to keep cookies even which is better decorating them. Here’s my affiliate link for bands https://amzn.to/3hweNEm
You can roll and cut right on the floured counter or use a pastry mat. I prefer the pastry mat because it keeps the counters clean and I can use the ruler for pretzels etc. Here’s my link for a similar large non stick silicone pastry mat https://amzn.to/3BIMrOh
Cut cookies with cutters of your choice and put on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. TIP- A glass will cut a circle shape.
Freeze cookies 5 minutes in freezer then bake for 9 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen cookies
Let them cool completely before removing from the cookie sheet.
Happy baking –
Kristen
