As many of you know, I do not make New Year’s Resolutions. Instead I choose something new to learn about all year-long. One year it was cooking, another it was how our tax money goes from our paycheck to the dispersed programs we support, and yet another was the year I learned about art. So, as you can see there’s no rhyme or reason for what I choose. This year I decided I wanted to learn to make a pretty and tasty sugar cookie with icing. The reason I want to learn is that there is a restaurant in OKC called Ingrid’s. It’s been on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives if you are familiar with Food Network and Guy Fieri.
They have to-die-for Reuben Sandwiches and since I can’t make that at home (Mr. Picky Eater gags and grouses if any kind of cabbage is cooked in the house) I go there once in a while for lunch with a co-worker. Ingrid’s also has a bakery and they have the most beautiful and tasty sugar cookies I have ever eaten.
They are also expensive because of the demand for them so I would like to make them at home – because they taste great and Mr. Picky Eater will eat them as well. The cookies are fairly thick but not as thick as those Lofthouse Sugar Cookies from the grocery store. they also are tender with very colorful icing using cutters reflecting current holidays and/or events. So, here we go:
Sugar Cookies
Cookie Recipe:
2 cup butter, softened
2 1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 cup milk
8 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 lemon, zested
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 Tbsp corn syrup
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs on at a time then vanilla and milk.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Dough will be very sticky and soft.
Place on a well floured surface and knead dough.
Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into shapes and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 12 minutes.
Allow to sit on sheet for about 5 minutes then move to wire cooling rack.
For the Icing:
1/2 cup butter
5 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1/4 cup milk
Beat butter with powdered sugar, corn syrup and milk.
Add more milk if necessary to get to desired consistency.
Ice in your favorite style.
Obviously, something is wrong with my icing but I don’t know what it is. I didn’t “spread” the icing on cookies I pretty much “wiped” it onto the cookies. When I put some in a decorating bag to make little designs it took so much strength to squeeze it through I thought the bag was clogged or something….it wasn’t. When I took the decorated one to Mr. Picky Eater he smiled (not his usual reaction) and said that the cookie was cut out perfectly and the pink icing was a nice color……..not working where he used to really have added side effects!
After he ate it, he came into the kitchen and said it tasted great, he loved the hint of lemon, and then he picked up two more while pouring a glass of milk. The DO taste good but they look like a valentine train wreck! The recipe is worth using but maybe I did something wrong with the icing.
***if you have any suggestions or advice, please comment because I only have 11 and ½ more months to learn how to do this! ****
I have a great sugar cookie recipe, the best one I have found yet. It has just powdered sugar, not white cane sugar for the sweetener. If you are interested in the recipe, please email me at theresa55atkinson@yahoo.com. I will be happy to give it to you. On the frosting, I have been using Wilton candy discs in the bag, adding a little vegetable shorteneing and it works the best. have found Walmart has it the cheapest at $2.50 a bag. I noticed on your recipe you add corn syrup. That does make it glossy, but does not dry well and tends to run.
Thank you! You bet I will email you – just give me a minute. Corn Syrup – don’t like runny – Your recipe will be my “try # 2”!!
You’re too funny — ONLY 11-1/2 months to go! I’ve never heard of Ingrid’s so can’t really help you out there. The cookie in the photo (little girl is holding it) looks almost glazed instead of frosted.
Personally, I’d take either one — I love sugar cookies!
I know it looks like a glaze but it’s thicker than a glaze so I assumed it was icing. Maybe I’ll buy one and take close up pictures so everyone can help me!
I’d certainly like the flavors of the vanilla bean, lemon and nutmeg. I don’t usually make frosted cookies, so I can’t comment on what happened there.
Lillian
lillianscupboard.wordpress.com
You know, the combo of vanilla bean, lemon and nutmeg (wasn’t too excited about it) turned out to taste refeshingly good!
As a rule, I don’t frost my sugar cookies, but I have noticed that people who do a beautiful cookie tend to use a decorating tube. They frost an outline around the cookie, and then with a slightly ‘looser’ frosting, they fill in the outline. Just a thought.
I like your cookie recipe. It is just a bit richer than the one I use.
I’m going to reply to myself! I found another blog that discusses the flooding … it is Bakerella, and this particular link (provided you scroll down far enough in the post) shows how she outlines and floods. The post is mostly about gingerbread cookies, but scroll way down to the snowman heads.
http://www.bakerella.com/gingerbreads-heads/
Oh yay! I seriously always need a tutorial. I know people complain about bloggers who take so many pictures but obviously they came out of the womb knowing how to do thing – I didn’t!! Thank you, I am going right now!
So – this is great tip! Outline it and use looser icing in the middle. Okay – I’m totally going to use that one Joan, thank you!
Kelli, are you looking for the flat, hard icing that allows you to do intricate details or are you looking for a frosting like you’d put on a Lofthouse cookie? If you’ve found a good cookie recipe, keep it.
If you want a lofthouse cookie type frosting, you just need a good buttercream frosting. If you want the other, it’s called Royal Icing. I can do basic decorating with Royal Icing. I followed the tutorial from Sweet Sugarbelles but it still took some practice.. Now my girls do most of the decorating, they just have too much fun with it. Her’es the post I did about royal icing. Be sure to watch Sugarbelle’s video about the icing, it really helped me “get it.” http://www.chocolatechocolateandmore.com/2011/11/decorating-cookies-with-royal-icing.html
I think it must be the royal icing then because I want to be able to decorate. I’m going to see your post and watch the video now – thanks so much!
I watched the video and the great thing is that I have 2 of those bottles in my cabinet right now!
Thanks for liking my last post How to cut vanilla beans, the smart way! These cookies look delish!
I am honestly (even with these cookies) messing up those vanilla beans – I was very happy to read the post! Thank YOU for writing it.
No problem! I love to meet fellow bloggers!
Your icing certainly looks tastier than the plastic-y sugar cookie icing I am used to!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you CCU – that’s very nice to say, especially since you are so good at making cookies, cakes and all things sugary! 🙂
Such a good idea to resolve to learn something new each year!! You never cease to amaze me!
Beth
I don’t care what the frosting looks like if they taste good!
They really do Alicia! Hope the new year is going well for you!!
I’m always in awe of those stunningly decorated sugar cookies you see for sale. I can make them taste good but I have yet to make them look good. 🙂
I’m going to keep trying. I got some good advice so I will put it to use this weekend and give it a go!