Christmas Cookies!

I had a Christmas cookie baking party planned for several weeks now, so it was time to force my self to move and stretch. I made the sugar cookie and ginger bread doughs last night so they would be ready for baking today! We ended up making three kinds, including a chocolate espresso cookies.

We tried the rolling pin rings, and well, unless you want tracks in your dough, you need to make sure the dough its the same width as the rolling pin... we forwent them for efficiency today.  So still something for me to try when I can roll out dough again. Yep, the cripple tries to bake.

The sugar cut outs were incredibly cold and crumbly. The initial worry was assuaged of a dough too dry, when it finally warmed. Then the fun could begin. Something to note, I don't have what you would call traditional cookie cutters. I have ones along the lines of moose, dinosaurs, woodland creatures, javelinas, donkeys...   

Look at the parsley grow! (it's on the left, front) 

The food coloring also took some color wheel knowledge to to solve some odd coloring issues. Lord knows I have had enough painting projects imposed on me from my parents, or maybe it's trying to describe hues and undertones to my red/green color blind father. Anyway, I did wear my tshirt from my vicodin and robaxin induced purchase from King Arthur Flour.

Both of the recipes below are the ones I have been making since I could hold a spoon.

Sugar Cookies
Cream 1 cup butter, slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Cream.

Add 1 egg, 1 1/2tsp almond extract and 1 tsp vanilla. Cream.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour (sifted) and 1/2tsp salt. Blend and chill.

Roll out, cut, and bake on greased sheets or with parchment at 375 degrees F. 8-10 minutes. (I found 9 worked great.) Frost!

Gingerbread Cookies ( slight variation on basic gingerbread)

Cream 1/3 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2cup molasses. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water.

Stir together 2tsp baking soda and 3 tbl water.

In a separate cup mix together dry ingredients:
-6cups flour
-1tsp ginger
-1tsp all spice
-1tsp cinnamon
-1tsp ground cloves

Add dry ingredients in thirds to the shortening mixture alternating with 1/3 of the soda water. (I didn't do this, and added all of the wet, including this at once, and it came out fine.) Blend until mixed. Chill.

Roll out and cut. Bake on greased or parchment-ed cookie sheets at 350 degrees F for 10minutes.