Cooking Buff

This evening after bathtime, we decided to whip up a batch of sugar cookies (I know, somehow that order should have been reversed). So excited was Josephine, she decided to not be bothered with clothing and instead got right down to business, like the little cooking buff that she is (that fact that she is, well, buff, is entirely coincidental). The irony is that we had opted to leave the cookies bare as well, with just a sanding of sugar on top, in order to save the elaborate decoration and fancy recipe for Halloween. These are super easy and simple, and most of all lots of fun for the little ones.


Cookies in the Buff

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick of butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

-combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl
-cream the butter and sugar over medium high heat until combined
-add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until fluffy and creamy, about 3 minutes
-reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and beat until just combined
-divide the dough into two and wrap each separately in plastic wrap, using the wrap to form the dough into rounded disks (the dough is really sticky)
-pop in the fridge for an hour
-preheat oven to 350
-take out one at a time and roll out onto a very well floured work space (flour your rolling pin as well), continuing to sprinkle flour if the dough sticks (it shouldn't be, but if it is really unmanageable put back in the fridge for another 15 minutes or so)
-cut out with favorite cookie cutters, top with sprinkles or sugar if you like, and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 11 minutes
-allow to cool slightly before removing to wire racks or your dessert plate