Valentine's Day Sour Cream Cutout Cookies Personalized with White Chocolate Names

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Nothing says I love you more than a soft cutout sugar cookie with buttercream frosting and personalized with your name in chocolate

I made these for my daughter and her friends Valentine's Day. 

They will be celebrating one of the girls 16th birthday. 

The birthday girl is a huge fan of Harry Potter so I personalized 5 of the cookies with their names and then added a few Harry Potter decorations as well as a Sweet 16 decoration.

I decorated the cookies with buttercream frosting and then made their names and Harry Potter decorations with white chocolate candy coating. It's real simple, just print out the names and.or decorations and then trace ontop of wax paper. The peel off easily and then can be placed on top of a freshly frosted cookies.

Below are the recipes for the cookies and buttercream frosting and 

a tutorial for making chocolate names and designs.

Sour Cream Cutout Cookie Recipe:

Sour Cream Cutouts:

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
 
Makes 10 dozen cookies

Directions:
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, sour cream, eggs, butter and shortening. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, almond extract and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill 1 to 2 hours, or until firm. Note: this dough is very soft, don't worry. Let it chill for a few hours and it will be perfect to roll out and cut. 


Heat oven to 350 degrees. On well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness (don't cut any thinner). Using 3 inch cookie cutters, cut desired shapes into dough. Place shapes 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. Prepare frosting as directed. Decorate cookies as desired. Let dry completely before storing. Freeze well unfrosted.

Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
pink food coloring


Directions:

Mix softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer. Beat for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.

Add powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until crumbly. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add a couple drops of pink food coloring.

Frost each sugar cookie using a knife and sprinkle with pink sprinkles.

Chocolate Names & Designs Tutorial

 Type your names using MS Word or your favorite word processor and print on white paper

 Place a sheet of waxed paper on top of the printed page

Melt the candy coating, such Make 'N Mold chocolate 

and place in a squirt bottle or decorating bag

 

Trace the name with the melted candy coating / chocolate

 

Let the candy coating / chocolate harden (it just takes a few minutes)

 

 Peel chocolate name from the wax paper and place on freshly frosted cookies

 

 

 

~Happy Valentine's Day~

Golden Grahams S'mores Bars

Golden Grahams S'mores Bars are a fun twist on rice crispy treats! Graham cereal, marshmallows, and plenty of chocolate are mixed in these easy bars for a delicious S'mores taste. They are easy to make, portable, and everyone loves them! Great treats for summer time get-togethers, picnics, parties, after school snacks ---  the best thing --- no campfire required. Honestly, I like these (tons) better than S'mores (just sayin'):

 

Golden Graham S'Mores Bars Recipe...

Ingredients:

8 cups Golden Grahams cereal
5 cups miniature marshmallows
1½ cups chopped Hershey chocolate bars (I used one Hershey Bar 6-Pack, each bar 1.55oz)
¼ cup light corn syrup
5 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cups miniature marshmallows
 
Directions:

1. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

3. In a large sauce pan, over low heat, melt the 5 cups of marshmallows, 1½ cups of chopped chocolate, light corn syrup and butter. Stiring frequently until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla.

4. Pour cereal into saucepan. Stir until coated with the melted chocolate mixture. Stir in remaining 1 cup marshmallows.

5. Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking pan. Butter your hands or spray them with non-stick cooking spray, and press the mixture evenly into the pan, pushing it down into a flat, even layer. Let set at room temperature for about 1 hour or until firm (can put in the refrigerator to firm up faster). Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-4 days.
 

  Enjoy!

School Spirit Sugar Cookies

It's that time of year again and my kids have headed back to school this week (hard to believe, summer time always goes way too fast). The upcoming weeks require us to attend many school activities, sporting events, picnics, and fundraisers. All needing for the kids to bring a dessert. These sugar cookies are a great homemade snack or dessert to bring to any school event. Rather then rolling in white sugar before baking, roll them in colored sugar, matching your school's colors. Such as, our school colors, which are green and gold. They are easy to bake and easy to transport to any event. Kids love them!

Recipe for Sugar Cookies ...
Adapted from Taste of Home Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• colored sugar for rolling (I used green & gold)

Makes: 3 dozen

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.
2. Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in colored sugar. Place on greased baking sheet (or use parchment). Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: Cookies may be frozen in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to two months.

Enjoy,

Have A Great School Year!

Easter Snickerdoodles Cookies

 

Happy Easter everyone! Traditionally on Good Friday, we color Easter Eggs but this year we have some other plans and will doing eggs tomorrow. But I felt the need to make something Easter-y this morning. I decided on making cookies. I didn't want anything with chocolate since I'm sure baskets will be filled with delicious chocolates on Sunday and wanted something cheerful and colorful and yummy. So I went with Snickerdoodles. I used spring colored sugar in place of white sugar mixed with the cinnamon. Oh Sooo Yummmy ... especially when they are still warm.

 

Easter Snickerdoodles ...

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

• For pink cookies:  2 Tbls pink sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 
• For yellow cookies:  2 Tbls yellow sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• For blue cookies:  2 Tbls blue sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter, add eggs and mix well.
4. Blend dry ingredients into to butter mixture.
5. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
6. Roll each ball  in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
7. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (I like to use parchment paper to avoid the sugar from sticking to the pan or browning too much)
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Happy Easter!

Italian Neapolitan Cookies aka Venetians

 

As some of you know, I hosted a Christmas Cookie Exchange last week. We had a great time!! As I get the recipes from my friends I will post them here on Punkie Pie's blog. First up we have these delightful Italian Neapolitan Cookies. There are also known as Venetians. They are delicious! My friend says they are some what labor intensive and they need to be made ahead and store in the frig overnight. I do think I will give them a try. Maybe for Easter .. Thinking I could replace the chocolate layer with white chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (8 oz) almond paste
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 10 drops liquid green food coloring
• 8 drops liquid red food coloring
• 1 jar (12 oz) apricot preserves
• 2 1/2 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 13x9x2-inch pans with nonstick cooking spray; line with waxed apper, allowing paper to come up the short ends; spray paper.Break up almond paste in large bowl.Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, 5 minutes.
2. Beat in flour and salt.
3. With a clean beater, beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into almond mixture until well blended.
4. Divid mixture into three equal portions. Add green food coloring to one portion and red food coloring to another, leaving the last portion yello. Separately spread each colored portion into prepared pans.
5. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove the cakes from pans, using the waxed paper overhang.
6. Heat apricot preserves in small saucepan, strain through sieve. Place green cake layer on jelly-roll pan. Spread half of the warm preserves over layer to edges; slide yellow layer on top; spread with remaining apricot preserves; slide pink layer, right side up, onto yellow layer.
7. Cover with plastic wrap; weight down with large wooden cutting board or heavy plate. Place in refrigerator overnight.
8. Melt chocolate in double boiler over hot water. Trim edges off cake. Spread melted chocolate to edges of cake; let dry 10 minutes or until hardened. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Additional Notes:

• Be sure to use a clean beater when  mixing egg whites.
• Use enough Apricot preserves between layers to make them stick together, too much and they will slide.
• I place a heavy book on them in the frig.
• I melt 1 & 1/2 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips for top layer.
• Be sure to cut while chocolate is warm or, with a warm knife or it will crack.
• Store in closed containers ~ They freeze well!

Enjoy!

No-Bake Creepy Mice Truffle Cookies {Recipe}

For once, mice you'll be happy to see circling your plate. Squeak out an easy win with these simple-ingredient crowd-pleasers.

Another Pink-O-Ween treat...they may look a little creepy but that taste great! What's not to like, Oreo cookies, cream cheese, and chocolate!

Ingredients for Cookies

• 4 (1 oz) squares semisweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup of sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs*

Ingredients for Decorating

• 1/3 cup chocolate cookie crumbs*
• 24 pink decorating candy or pink Nerds candy
• 48 white nonpareils sprinkles
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 12 (2-inch) pieces long red vine licorice

Directions for Cookies

1. Melt the chocolate and combine with sour cream. Stir in 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

2. Roll by level tablespoonfuls into balls. Mold to a slight point at one end (the nose).

3. Roll each mouse-shaped dough in chocolate cookie crumbs. On each mouse, place pink candy in appropriate spot for nose, white nonpareils sprinkles for eyes, almond slices for ears, and a red licorice string for the tail.

4. Refrigerate for at least two hours, until firm.

*Note: To make chocolate cookie crumbs, use approximately 20-22 chocolate sandwich cookies with creme feeling (such as Oreo cookies). Put the chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor and process until they become fine crumbs. Set aside.