Roll-Out Cookies

I thought this post would be up sooner, but I am writing this while watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics-perfect timing! I wanted to create a themed post for this week and what a great event to base this post on, The 2012 Summer Olympics in London! Go Team USA!

My mom has had this recipe since I was little, and I'm not sure why she still has it on the same post it note! I think it's time to get a new one, and maybe even laminate it. These cookies are SO popular around here and I am constantly being asked for the recipe. I've made them in almost every shape possible, on sticks, in bags, big, small, yet I'm already thinking up some more possibilities.

These cookies are a bit time consuming, from making the dough, refrigerating it, and baking, to decorating, drying and packaging them. Usually while decorating, we have a line. My mom usually icings, I pipe the outline and detail, and little Maddie is our sprinkler and mixer. In our house, we mix with our hands because we triple, sometimes quadruple the batter, and it's easier that way and she ALWAYS volunteers. 

Heres a quick rundown of how this recipe works and my little tricks I've learned throughout the years...

MIXING

Like I said before- We mix with our hands. Wash them real good, and get your hands in that bowl. Here- we were mixing with a spoon, but once we poured flour in, my hands were covered in dough. 

CHILLING

 Ball it up in about softball sizes and wrap in waxed paper. If you can't wait, freeze it for about half an hour or until it's a bit easier to work with. I made mine the night before and left it in the fridge until i was ready to work with it. 

ROLLING AND CUTTING

Flour your surface really well. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough ball by ball...how awkward...to 1/4th of an inch and cut with the desired cookie cutters. Can you guess what I'm making?

BAKING

Arrange cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. In this case, my cookies are two separate pieces. If you put them close, they will bake and form one cookie. 

DECORATING

Make your icing! Simple royal icing! 

Dye it and Ice your cookies. I use a knife, but I'd really like to teach myself how to flood.

Add Sprinkles and voila! 

I think Michael Phelps would like a medal line up like this...although legit gold is cool too... 

The glitter on these cookies seriously tops them. 

I decided not to pipe anything on these because I thought it would take away from them as opposed to enhancing them. Heres the recipe so you can try these cookies out for yourself. Make sure to make a lot... they go so fast. Hope you Enjoy! 

Roll-Out Cookies

Ingredients:

-1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, softened. NOT MELTED.

-1 egg

-1 tsp. vanilla extract

-1/2 tsp. almond extract

-1 tsp. baking soda

-1 tsp. cream of tarter

-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

-2 1/2 (usually 3) cups of flour

Directions: 

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, mixing with a spoon. DO NOT use an electric mixer. 

2. Add powdered sugar, then flour. Making sure each sugar is completely blended before flour is added. 

3. Split dough into even balls, usually about softball size, and wrap in waxed paper. Chill in fridge over night, or in freezer until firm. 

3. Heat oven to 350*. Unwrap dough, one ball at a time, and roll with a rolling pin onto a floured surface to about 1/4th inch thick. Use cookie cutters or objects to cut shapes.

4. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool and ice with Royal Icing. 

Royal Icing:

-1 lb powdered sugar

-3 Large Egg Whites 

Directions: 

Add ingredients and beat with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes. Add very small amounts of water to thin the icing if needed.