Alternative to rolled out sugar cookies!

 'Tis the time of year for one of my favorite things...

that of making PINK Cookies with Sprinkles!

 

However, with the busyness that my life has had, I am finding that I have been very time crunched and not able to do the baking I like most to do, especially making 9 dozen frosted heart shaped sugar cookies!

I was SO happy to have found a great idea of taking your sugar cookie dough and baking it in a 9x13 pan and then cutting it into squares and frosting it.  

I pretty much just took 

my regular sugar cookie dough recipe  

 and cut it in half,  

however, I adjusted the sour cream and baking powder.

My family was in sugar cookie heaven and I was able to provide them with such a yummy treat on my tight schedule that I have right now.

We are hooked and I love how easy they are! 

Pan Sugar Cookie Squares
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2-1/2 cups flour

Beat together sugar,butter vanilla together for one minute.
Add in sour cream and egg and mix well.
Add in salt and baking powder and mix well.
Lastly add in flour.

Put in greased 9x13 pan (will need to spread mixture out with a spoon)
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until lightly browned...don't overbake).
Cool.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.(put sprinkles on top of you would like)
Cut into squares and enjoy! 
 
Frosting
1/4 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Cream together butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
Add in powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
Add in your choice of food coloring.
Frost and enjoy!

NOTE...

If you want more cookies, 

just DOUBLE the cookie dough 

and bake on a large cookie sheet.  

Also, double the frosting as well.

Tastes just like sugar cookies, 

but without the extra work, or mess.
(although, I DO have to admit that I still love rolling out dough and making REAL cut out sugar cookies). 

Sugar Cookie dough...the possibilities are endless!

 I always love this time of the year 

as we make up batch after batch of

 "Pink Cookies with Sprinkles", 

however, there always seems to be leftover sugar cookie dough 

and I'm always amazed at the yummy things we make with the leftover cookie dough.

 Fruit Pizza and Fruit Dip

 always get made up this time of the year... (recipe here)

 (leftover cookie dough, makes the perfect fruit pizza)

 but, I think one of my favorite alternatives to use 

Sugar Cookie dough for is that of making 

RAISIN Filled Cookies!!

This is a PIONEER recipe 

that goes back many generations and one that I have fond memories 

of my Grandma Laura making for us on many occasions!
(although I've used the modernized sugar cookie dough recipe of using sour cream instead of milk, but other than that, the dough/filling are something that has been passed down through the years).

So, yummy and SO easy... 

You can take one batch of sugar cookie dough 

and bake it up two different ways 

so that EVERYONE is happy, 

plus it adds a little variety.

PERFECT, served with a cup of tea or hot cocoa on a cold fall OR winter's day!!

I know what some of you are thinking. 

"RAISINS I don't think I could eat them!" 

Trust me, they are SO good and the raisins 

have a nice texture and consistency after baking in the cookies...

SO I am going to tell you a saying 

that I tell my children quite frequently...

Dr. Seuss says it best:
"Try them you will like them you see"

Raisin Filled Cookies

Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe..(here)

(Raisin filling)

1 cup raisins ground (I just coarsely chop them with a knife)
½ cup sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon flour mixed with a little bit of water. Put on stove and boil.

Roll dough with plenty of flour and cut with round cutter.
Drop filling on dough and top with another round of dough.
Press edges together to seal well.
Bake at 375 degress for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy! 

A plate of homemade sugar cookies, 

whether topped with frosting and sprinkles, 

OR, filled with raisins and nuts, 

truly makes any day better!

Leftover Cookie Dough = Happiness!!

February...

the month for Love and Romance...

and also the month for making up my famous 

"Pink Cookies with Sprinkles"! 

(recipe here) 

 Since Valentine's day 

is on a Monday this year and I don't want to spend my Sunday making batch after batch of Valentine cookies, I have been making cookies each afternoon this past week and delivering them to the many people that mean so much to me and my family!

Valentines Day and Christmas 

are the two holidays that I bake and deliver goodies to family and friends! 

 There always seems to be a little bit of cookie dough left when I make sugar cookies and so  

I take the leftover dough, 

roll it out, 

put it in a pie plate, 

bake it for 10-12 minutes and Voila...

we have the perfect crust to top with Fruit dip and fresh fruit…

 The leftover dip is enjoyed to dip fresh fruit in

(our favorites are cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, kiwi, apples and bananas)

  Fruit Dip 

1 (7oz) container marshmallow cream
1 small container strawberry yogurt 
(Yoplait is yummy)
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
Mix all together until creamy and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

This combination of 

moist crust, creamy topping and your choice of fresh fruit equals  

true Happiness that is guaranteed to make mouths happy!! 

Enjoy...

and happy week of LOVE!

The Joy of Sugar Cookie Dough!

Oh the joy
of a plate of sugar cookies...
They just seem brighten any day and make it a happier one!!

I'm always amazed...

At how you can take a bowl
of sugar cookie dough that is just a big
BLOB...

Roll it out using plenty of flour with a rolling pin and then
use cute cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes
and bake them...

and then frost and decorate them or fill them and
WOW! The faces of people who see, eat and are the recipients of these creations just LIGHT UP!

The possibilities are endless to the cute shapes and creations you can make with a bowl of sugar cookie dough.

Sugar Cookies truly bring JOY to people lives!
*****************
Most people are used to sugar cookie dough being cut into cute shapes and frosted with frosting and then topped with sprinkles or candies (These Pink Sugar Cookies are something I am well known for). However, another favorite in my family was a recipe my Grandma Laura used to make up and these are one of my dad's favorite cookies.
RAISIN filled cookies!
Just basic sugar cookie dough cut into circles,
filled with raisin/nut filling and then the edges are sealed and baked until golden brown.

(I made up a batch of these just this weekend as we went to visit my parents for a birthday dinner at the famous MADDOX in Brigham City, Utah...

my mom's birthday 11-14 and my dad's birthday 11-18).
"Happy Birthday"!

This is a PIONEER recipe that goes back many generations!
(although I've used the modernized sugar cookie dough recipe of using sour cream instead of milk, but other than that, the dough/filling are something that has been passed down through the years).
So, yummy and SO easy...
You can take one batch of sugar cookie dough and bake it up two different ways so that EVERYONE is happy, plus it adds a little variety.

PERFECT, served with a cup of tea or hot cocoa on a cold fall OR winter's day!!

I know what some of you are thinking. "RAISINS I don't think I could eat them!" Trust me, they are SO good and the raisins have a nice texture and consistency after baking in the cookies...

SO I am going to tell you a saying that I tell my children quite frequently...
Dr. Seuss says it best:
"Try them you will like them you see"

Raisin Filled Cookies
Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe...(CLICK HERE)

(Raisin filling)
1 cup raisins ground
½ cup sugar
½ cup walnuts
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon flour mixed with a little bit of water. Put on stove and boil.
This was my grandmas recipe.

Roll dough with plenty of flour and cut with round cutter.
Drop filling on dough and top with another round of dough.
Press edges together to seal well.
Bake at 375 degress for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

One of my Motto's in life truly is
that a plate of homemade cookies makes ANY day better!

Enjoy!

Recipe for Kimberly's Pink Cookies with Sprinkles

I hope you enjoy making "Pink Cookies with Sprinkles"  

(if you LOVE the big, soft cookies with pink frosting that you can purchase in the store, you will LOVE these...only these taste 100% better...and YOU made them yourself!)

 
Here are also 2 links of different things you can 
make with the sugar cookie dough as well!

Here and Here

The Best Sugar Cookies  
1 cup REAL butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon salt

 Cream together butter and sugar.
Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla, salt, baking powder and soda.
Mix well.
Add flour until mixed. Put into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (I let mine chill at least 4-5 hours)
Roll out with PLENTY OF FLOUR and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until just barely browned on top (I check them after 8 minutes and then go from there)...don't over-bake!

Frost with cream cheese frosting 

and put sprinkles on top.

Cream Cheese Frosting
 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
½ cup REAL butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
(food coloring)

In a mixer bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla till light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating until smooth. Add desired color of food coloring if desired.

Enjoy!