Easy Sugar Cookie Icing

I am sure most of you know what Royal Icing is. Well this is basically the exact same thing, only way easier to make. I found this recipe in the Food Network Magazine and wanted to try it on my sugar cookies. It was super easy and it turned out perfect. My favorite part is when you iced your cookie you didn't have to get it perfect, any imperfections or smudges quickly smoothed out on it's own once you put the icing on. It isn't runny, but just the right consistency to slap some on and it evened out to a pretty smooth finish no matter how messy you were with the icing. My kinda icing. I hate futzing with it and ending up with a lumpy smudgy icing after all that work. Sprinkle with pretty sprinkles or make some with food coloring and decorate with various colors. I have never made royal icing but Mom made a batch to compare to this icing. After watching her make it- I won't be making it. Too much effort compared to this one and once they were done you couldn't tell them apart. Also- the meringue powder was easier to find that I thought. I found a can of it in the specialty baking area at Wal-Mart by the arts and crafts/scrapbooking area, it is a little high but it will last you forever since you don't use much to make a batch of icing, and we iced at least 2 dozen cookies with it, if not more. 

Iced Sugar Cookies Icing Recipe

 From: Food Network Magazine

3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 T meringue powder
6 T water

Sift the powdered sugar and meringue powder together in to a large bowl. Beat in 6 tablespoons of water with a mixer on medium speed until soft, glossy peaks form. Spread onto the cookies and decorate. Let sit about 1 hour. (we didn't.. we ate them right away! LOL) 

Gooey Butter Cookies

My  Sister-in-law, Jamie, made these for our family baking night last night and they were SOOOO good. They aren't rich or too sweet, they are just buttery and the perfect amount of sweet. I am so glad she accidentally left her recipe card here so I could copy down this one! 

Gooey Butter Cookies

1 stick butter (soft) 
1 stick cream cheese (soft) 
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 box yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350. 
Cream together all ingredients except cake mix, then add cake mix and incorporate well. Chill in fridge 30 minutes. Roll into ball, dip in powdered sugar, place on cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350. 


UPDATE: Just saw this exact recipe on the food network website by Paula Dean, she just changed the cake mix to chocolate flavor and made them chocolate instead. This is a good idea- you can change the cake mix to lemon, chocolate, strawberry.. you name it... and change the flavors. Now I have to try these in lemon and strawberry!! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I found this recipe on pinterest (where else??) and decided to try it at our baking with the family night. They were voted by several people the best thing made all night. Wow are these good. Especially if you like raw cookie dough.. these are pure evil. they were super easy to make too, which you all know I love. It takes a little time as you have to chill them for an hour, then freeze them for half an hour, but other than that the actual time it takes to make them is very little and super easy. Gotta love that. And this recipe makes quite a few too! I think we made at least 2 dozen truffles and they are kinda rich so they go a long way. 1, maybe 2, per person would be plenty. Trust me. Make these. You will love them! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

By: Love and Olive Oil via pinterest

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla (tad less if using pure vanilla extract!) 
1/3 cup milk or cream (I used milk) 
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 package chocolate almond bark 

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt and mix on low speed until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. 

Cover and chill in fridge for 1 hour. 

When dough is firm enough to handle (it may help to lightly flour your hands) form dough into 1" balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes. (make sure your baking sheets are not too wide for the freezer.. I did not check and had to transfer them all to plates before freezing them!) 

Melt chocolate almond bark in a double broiler ( I used my fondue pot) or in micorwave according to package directions. Using forks or dipping tool (I used my fondue forks) dip cookie balls into bandy doating to cover. Tap fork on side of pan to remove excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week. (I didn't let them chill the final time. As soon as they were dipped and the chocolate cooled they were ready to eat.