Christmas Cookies

This Month's Easy Bake cOven recipes were Sour Cream Sugar Cookies or Herbed Focaccia bread chosen by our member Laura.

Laura is an amazing cookie baker (she does this for a living) and was kind enough to share one of her favorites with us. I wasn't able to fit in the focaccia but it turned out Emily (also a member of the club) brought it to our Christmas party. I made some cookies to share at work and also for the party since the recipe made so many. I may have gone a little overboard decorating all of them. It was my first attempt at large scale cookie decorating with Royal Icing. I had great intentions of making a gingerbread house this month so I made a huge batch of Royal Icing for it, but I ran out of time to make one. Instead I used it for the cookies - rather than using the cream cheese frosting that comes with the recipe. I think most Decembers are like this.... You have to finish all of your shopping, while attending ten holiday parties, and preparing for company or travel, and on top of it all you want to bake six different recipes - some new some old - all making your kitchen a disaster. December was a like this for M and I. I actually appreciated getting snowed in in Ks this year because it forced us to do nothing for a while. (We did get a little stir crazy mind you).


I hope all of you have had nice holidays and enjoyed company, and have averted sugar comas. If you are still attempting to eat as much sugar as possible, do try the cookies! 


Be sure to check the cOven for other entries for December! 

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. margarine

2 egg yolks

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sour cream

5 c. flour

Mix ingredients in this order, adding one at a time. Make dough and chill at least 2-3 hours or over night. Roll out on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350˚ for 9-12 minutes, depending on how soft you like sugar cookies. I baked mine for about 10 minutes each with 1 minute on the cookie sheet before cooling on a wire rack. 

After the cookies are completely cool, decorate with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe below. You can also use Royal Icing if you prefer. Decorate with candies as desired. 

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 lb powdered sugar

1/2 c. margarine

8 oz. cream cheese

1 T. vanilla

water, to desired consistency

food coloring, if desired

Royal Icing 
Courtesy of Alton Brown and the Food Network

3 ounces pasteurized egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

In large bowl of stand mixer combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and mixture is shiny. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add food coloring, if desired. For immediate use, transfer icing to pastry bag or heavy duty storage bag and pipe as desired. If using storage bag, clip corner. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.