Soft Sweetheart Sugar Cookies
Posted: February 7, 2012 Filed under: Dessert, Holiday, Snacks, The Smart Cookie Cook | Tags: cookies, food, frosting, sugar cookies, Valentine's Day 8 Comments »
People possess very mixed opinions about Valentine’s Day. Generally, they tend to support on of the following opinions:
- “Oh my god, I love Valentine’s Day! My boyfriend/girlfriend and I are so IN LOVE. I want everyone to know! Let’s eat chocolate and have an expensive dinner!” These people live for V-Day. Cupid got them bad. They can commonly be spotted adorning festive red and pink attire and jamming out to love songs.
- “I hate Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day sucks. All you love birds make me sick. I’m going to go listen to depressing music and think about how much Valentine’s Day sucks.” The passionate hatred of Valentine’s Day associated with these people is usually attributed to a recently broken heart or a non-existent love life. I think everyone dips their feet into these waters at some point or another.
- “Valentine’s Day is just a card store conspiracy. They just want to make us go buy cards and chocolate. It’s purely for the economy. You should show your love every day, not just because the calendar tells you to.” These people make a few good points, and they may be right, but it’s often times a bitter heart fueling these words rather than unbiased logic. Unless, of course, if you’re a man. Many men fall under this category. Not because they’re bitter, but because a holiday full of lovey-dovey pink and purpleness seems completely absurd in their opinion.
Which one are you? I ten to hover somewhere between 1 and 2. It’s hard not to feel a little bit of resentment towards a day that highlights one’s single status, but at the same time, I think it’s great to have a day that honors love. True, you should express your love every day, not just because of a holiday, but couldn’t the same be said for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? I think having a special day allotted to such relationships is pure fun. Even if you lack a “lover” to spend Valentine’s Day with, surely you have someone you love to celebrate. Whether it be a friend, a sibling, your parents, or even your dog, show that special someone you care about them.
It just so happens that I have the perfect way to do so. Nothing says “I love you” quite like these Soft Sweetheart Sugar Cookies. Their heart shape is a universal sign of affection, plus pretty pink frosting and colorful sprinkles add to the overall festiveness. If you could bake love into cookie form, these would be it. Not only are their romantic aesthetics appropriate for Valentine’s Day, but baking them from scratch will show your loved one(s) you care more than any store-bought gift could.
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How-To: Igloo Penguin Cake
Posted: January 6, 2012 Filed under: Dessert, Holiday, Snacks, The Smart Cookie Cook, Vegetarian | Tags: baking, cake, dessert, food, frosting, igloo, penguins, winter 27 Comments »
Winter has finally fallen upon my home in CNY. I’m quite used to harsh winters here, but this year, it has taken Old-Man Winter a bit longer than usual to bestow his frozen wrath upon us. Well, the snow has finally hit us and the cold has settled in. At last, it feels like winter. Weather like this always brings to mind thoughts of frozen tundras, igloos, Antarctica, and the penguins who live in Antarctica. I decided I needed to recreate this wintery fantasy in an edible form, and so this Igloo Penguin Cake was born.
I love cake. I love penguins. Is there anything better than having them both in one place? This cake is absolutely adorable, almost too cute to eat. I say “almost” because the cake itself is too good to not eat. I could’ve used a boxed mix to make life a bit easier, but I am a scratch-baker, so I went for homemade. This Best Yellow Cake recipe is absolutely perfect. I never intended on stumbling upon the ideal yellow cake when I set out to build this igloo; I was merely looking for a base to build upon. However, what I found was an incredibly moist, fluffy, and delicious cake. The texture is perfect; the flavor is ideal. I will never bake another vanilla cake again.
Naturally, I employed my favorite Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream to cover this edible igloo. It’s smooth, easily spreadable, and undeniably delicious. I think it is truly the best frosting I’ve ever tried. So, between the delicious cake and the luscious buttercream, this winter wonderland confection is not only impressive to look at; it is heaven to eat as well.
This little Igloo Cake is the epitome of winter. It depicts an enchanted snow-covered scene on a chilly winter’s day, but the cute little penguins don’t seem to mind the cold at all. Although time-consuming to make, it’s not actually as difficult as it seems. The results are well-worth the time you put into this sweet, whimsical igloo.
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Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream
Posted: January 3, 2012 Filed under: Dessert, The Smart Cookie Cook | Tags: baking, buttercream, food, frosting, icing, Recipe, vanilla 19 Comments »
Let’s establish something: I would not post a simple vanilla frosting recipe without an accompanying cookie or cake if it wasn’t something special. Typically I’d give you Sugar Cookies + Vanilla Buttercream or Banana Split Cake + Strawberry Buttercream. So what’s the occasion? Well, my little cookies, I have here for you my go-to Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream. I’ve tried others before, but this is by far my favorite. It is simple, and it is perfect.
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Crisp & Chewy Sugar Cookies
Posted: December 14, 2011 Filed under: Cookies, Dessert, Holiday, Snacks, The Smart Cookie Cook | Tags: baking, Christmas, cookies, food, frosting, Sugar 18 Comments »
When it comes to cookies, sugar cookies are some of the prettiest. Cut out into whimsical shapes, dusted with sprinkles, or covered in frosting and elaborate decor, there are all kinds of ways to dress up these sweet treats. The problem is some sugar cookies wind up being more fun to look at than they are to eat. There are thousands, if not millions of sugar cookies out there, but not all of them are decent. Too many sugar cookies are average at best, providing a blase eating experience that looks better than it actually tastes. This unfortunately leads the sugar cookie to be entirely underrated and overlooked. When given the choice, sugar is often the last kind of cookie that one would choose as their favorite.
Well, I happen to love sugar cookies. Why? Because when they’re done right, they are absolutely incredible. They’re simple, sweet, buttery, and classic, with flavors evoking the memories of Christmases long since passed and afternoons spent baking in the kitchen with my mother. You see, when sugar cookies are good, they’re really good. You’ve just got to find the right one.
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Holiday Sweet & Simple: Christmas Cookie Sammies
Posted: December 9, 2011 Filed under: Cookies, Dessert, Holiday, Snacks, Sweet & Simple, The Smart Cookie Cook, Vegetarian | Tags: baking, Christmas, Christmas cookies, cookies, dessert, food, frosting, holiday, snacks, Sugar 9 Comments »
It’s no secret that Christmas cookies are a seasonal staple. The month of December is dedicated to (lovingly) slaving away in the kitchen over a plethora of different kinds of cookies while your naive face is covered in flour because no one in your family was kind enough to let you know. Christmas cookie baking may seem daunting, but it’s really quite fun, especially if you get your family involved. It’s a must-do activity when Christmas time rolls around.
Or at least, it is for most people. For avid bakers and cookie lovers like myself, it may be hard to believe that some people don’t bake Christmas cookies.
They buy them.
I know, I know. It’s shocking. But some people just don’t like baking. Or perhaps they like it, but they aren’t particularly skilled at it. Now, if you’re one of those people, here is my appeal to you: bake some cookies this year. I’m not asking you to scratch-make sugar cookie dough, roll it out, cut it into Christmas shapes, then whip up some royal frosting and elaborately decorate each one. Let’s be honest; I’m not even going to do that. What I am asking you to do is take the semi-homemade route. It’s still tastier than store-bought, and you get to spend quality time in the kitchen with your loved ones. Don’t have anyone to bake with? Bake with yourself! Baking can be very relaxing; it’s a great stress-reliever.
My Christmas Cookie Sammies are made for those of you looking for simple yet yummy and festive cookies that you won’t have a meltdown over making. They’re as easy as they are delicious. Cute as can be, these frosting-filled cookie sandwiches are sure to impress all your family and friends.
