Paula Deens Iced Christmas Sugar Cookies Food

VANILLA SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat until the dough just comes together, being careful not to over mix.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place the ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4 inch think. Keeping the dough in the parchment, transfer to a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
• Cut out the cookies in the desired shapes and places on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Transfer to the freezer and chill for at least 15 minutes or until they are stiff.
• Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Let cookies cool completely on the sheets before decorating. (They will still be soft when they come out of the oven and may break or become misshapen if they are moved off the sheets before cool.) Makes about 12 3-inch cookies.

MONOGRAMMED SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream together 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar and butter, then mix in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar; mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, then cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
• Divide the chilled dough in half and roll it out on a lightly floured pastry cloth to a 1/4-inch thickness. Lightly grease some baking sheets. Cut the dough with a floured cookie cutter; sprinkle with sugar. Transfer the cookies to the prepared sheets and bake for 9 minutes.
• Royal Icing:
• In a medium bowl, combine egg whites, 1 box confectioner's sugar, and cream of tartar. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase mixer speed to high, and beat 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture holds a peak. Cover with a damp cloth when not in use. Separate into bowls and add food coloring, if desired.

PAULA DEEN'S ICED CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• To make the cookies - in a large bowl, beat butter and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each additon.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Cover dough with plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On lightly flour surface roll dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut dough with desired cutters. Reroll dough scraps and cut out cookies until all dough has been used.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool on pans for 2 miutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• To make Royal Icing - In a small bowl, whisk water and meringue powder until foamy. Gradually add confectioners sugar, whisking until smooth. Divide into small bowls and tint with food coloring pastes, stirring to achieve desired colors.
• Decorate cookes as desired with Royal Icing, dragees and sugar sprinkles.
• Store in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

LOADED OATMEAL COOKIES (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease cookie sheets. With electric mixer cream together butter, shortening and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk (it will appear a little curdled at this stage, don't worry).
• Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg,cinnamon, cloves and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Stir in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts and vanilla, blending well. (Dough will be soft and sticky).
• Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. (I use a small cookie dough scoop that looks like an ice cream scoop--makes this job easy and ensures uniformly rounded cookies).
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Oven temperatures and size of cookies you make vary, so check your first batch at least by 9 to 10 minutes.
• For Brown Butter Glaze: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally until butter is a golden brown.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in enough water to make the icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm cookies.
• *Cook's Note: Paula Deen's original recipe calls for 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar. I found that to be too much. I also found it easier to bake all of the cookies and line them up closely on cooling rack, then make glaze and drizzle cookies all at one time. You get a more consistent glaze this way as it tends to harden as it cools.

PAULA DEEN'S CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter until soft and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beat well. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, mix well. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets.
• Divide dough in half, roll 1 portion on a well floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if desired. Repeat with 2nd portion.
• Bake for 10 minutes, cool 2 minutes on sheets, then move to wire racks. When completely cooled, decorate with icing.
• For the icing, whisk together all the ingredients, add food coloring as desired. Makes 3/4 cup.