Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. lemon extract (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Either spray two cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray (preferably one made for baking that has flour in it) or cover each sheet with parchment.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, egg yolk, milk and extracts and mix well.  Add the baking powder and flour a bit each time, incorporating it into the dough well after each addition.
3. Lightly flour a board to roll out your dough on.  Divide dough in quarters and roll out out one quarter, remembering to lightly flour your rolling pin too.  Roll to a 1/4″ to 1/3″ thickness and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.* Place on prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake for approximately 14 minutes.  At that point that should be still be pale, with perhaps a bit of brown starting.  That’s when to take them out if you want them to have tender centers.  Cool.  If there is remaining dough, repeat steps 3 and 4.

Sugar Baby Frosting

• 1 (32 oz.) package confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk (you can use skimmed)
• 1/3 cup white corn syrup
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla
• 1/3 cup boiling water

1. Combine milk, syrup and vanilla in a bowl.  Add boiling water and then blend together with an electric mixer.
2. Add confectioners’ sugar and continue mixing until smooth.  The frosting for the sugar cookies is similar to a glaze consistency.  Add and blend food coloring if using.
3. To glaze.  Pick up a cook and dip on side fully into the glaze.  Remove, letting excess drip off.  Set on wire rack to harden. (this does get a bit messy…but so worth it!).

*Because of the addition of 2 egg yolks and the whites from 1 egg these may puff up ever so slightly when baking.  So you may not want to use a cookie cutter with delicate shaping to it.

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 1/2 tsp. baking power
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup natural no-stir peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar, optional*
• 1/3 cup packed, golden brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 King Size Butterfinger candy bar, chopped

1. Position 1 oven rack in the top third of the oven and the other rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Using electric beaters or a stand mixer, beat together peanut butter, butter, 1/3 cup sugar and the brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla, then flour and baking power and salt.  Beat until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and chopped Butterfinger candy.
4. If using the turbinado sugar, place sugar in a small bowl.  Using 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms to form balls.  Roll balls in sugar and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.  Using bottom of glass, press cookies into 1/3″ thick rounds.
5. Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, reversing sheets halfway through cooking time for even baking.  Cool on wire rack.

*You can use regular, granulated sugar instead turbinado – the effect just won’t be as pronounced.