Merry Christmas!

This coming weekend enjoy the company of your family and friends!  It is a special time of year that allows  us to take a step back and appreciate the wonderful things that we all have.  

Peace to all and Merry Christmas!!!

Enjoy!

  

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Ah, Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!  The Nutmeg makes them taste so yummy!  Can you tell they are my favs?  I really like baking these and also eating these.  They are the best Sugar Cookie I've ever tasted.  For that reason I bake them every year for special occasions.  My cookie cutters are ready! 

These delicious light cookies are made in two steps.  Day 1 make the dough.  Wrap and refrigerate.  On Day 2 the colored sprinkles are taken out of the cabinets along with the rolling pin and the cookie cutters.  Then, the fun begins!  Nibbling on a warm cookie that is cooling on the rack is the best.  These cookies are great AND they freeze very well.  Tomorrow the dough will be prepped.    

Printable recipe card.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Oven:  375°F
Bake:  10-11 Minutes
Yield:  About 5 dozen cookies depending on the size

Ingredients:
1 Cup unsalted Butter, softened
1 and 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
4 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Sour Cream, can be Fat Free
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method:
Day 1-

1. In large bowl with electric mixer beat Butter and Sugar until light & fluffy.
2. Add Egg, beat.
3. Add in Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt & Nutmeg.
4. While beating on Low, slowly add Flour, 1 Cup at a time.
5. Add in Vanilla & Sour Cream, still beating on Low.  Then beat on Medium until well combined.  Dough will be stiff.
6. Remove dough from bowl and place on sheet of plastic wrap, fold.  
7. Place wrapped dough on sheet of aluminum foil and wrap well.
8. Refrigerate overnight.

Day 2-

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Unwrap dough and cut into four parts.
3. On well floured surface, roll dough to 1/4" thickness.  Use cookie cutters.
4. Place cookies on cookie pan/sheet 1" apart.  (Maybe 12 cookies per sheet.)
5. Sprinkle with colored sugars.
6. Bake 10 - 11 Minutes in 375°F oven.  Bottom of cookies will be a light golden brown.
7. Remove with spatula to wire racks.
8. When cool, store in airtight container.  Cookies can also be placed in freezer.

I always sample a cookie or two.  It's all part of "quality control".  Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are just the best!

It's also a tradition in my kitchen that any leftover Sour Cream Sugar Cookie dough is used to make "Initial Cookies" for my fam.  Ropes are made from the leftover dough.  Then, the first letter of each family member's first name is shaped and placed on a cookie sheet.  Each letter is about 2"- 3" in height.  The last sheet of cookies are always the decorated initials for each family member.  :)   

Enjoy!
Yummy!

HERMITS

The temperature outdoors reminds us to wear the winter hats and the warm gloves when we bundle up! It certainly is a tad chilly! Christmas is just around the corner, so it is the perfect time to bake a batch of HERMITS. Hermits are moisty, chewy Molasses and Raisin cookies that are baked in three rolls on one large cookie sheet. Yes, you guessed it! They are a family favorite! Whenever Hermits are baking in my oven the wonderful aroma of Cinnamon, Ginger and Cloves fills my home. Yummy!

Two weeks ago I baked a batch of Hermits to share with my Docent friends at our annual December Holiday Luncheon. Every year after our delicious Lunch, we all sample the mouth-watering cookies that everyone has brought to our yearly gathering. There are cookies to bring home, too! During the year we Docents volunteer at the Springfield Museums by giving tours to school groups. The Springfield Museums are a group of five museums that contain Art, History and Science. The Quadrangle (as it is called) is one of my favorite places. Can you tell that I enjoy visiting museums? Do you, also? There is always so much more to learn.

With the holidays approaching another batch of Hermits will be prepared this weekend. After the individual cookies have been placed in the cookie canister, it will be hard to eat just one! Do you bake Hermits? If you would like to bake a batch, my recipe is below. Or click here for a printable Recipe Card.

HERMITS

Oven temperature: 375°, Bake: 20 - 22 Minutes (22 Minutes gas oven)

Ingredients:

¾ cup solid Crisco shortening
1 and ½ cups Sugar
¼ cup Molasses
2 Tbs. Water
2 Eggs – (Reserve about 1 tsp. for coating)
1 cup Raisins
3 cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ginger
½ tsp. Ground Cloves

Method:

1. Using mixer, beat Shortening, Sugar, Molasses & Water. Beat until creamy.
2. Reserve about 1 tsp. of Egg. Add Eggs & beat.
3. Now add Baking Soda, Spices & Flour. Flour is added ¼ cup at a time and mixed into batter. Otherwise you will be peering through a white mist. ;-)
4. Fold in raisins by hand using a big spoon or spatula.
5. Spray PAM on a large cookie sheet.
6. Divide dough into three pieces. Make three rows of dough on cookie sheet, leaving about 1 ½ ” border on each end. Dough is very sticky.
7. Coat top with reserved Egg – use back of teaspoon to spread.
8. Bake in preheated 375° oven for 22 minutes (gas oven).
9. Cool 15 minutes & cut into diagonals. I throw away end pieces – too hard after cooled.
10. Store in container after cooler.

Enjoy!
Yummy!