Delicious Cutout Cookie Recipe: A Comforting Treat
Welcome to the world of irresistible smells and flavors with my Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies Recipe. My name is Marjorie Johnson, and I’m a baking enthusiast who has won multiple blue ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair for my delicious treats. I’m excited to share with you my award-winning recipe for sugar cookies that will elevate your holiday cookie game to new heights.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a rookie, this recipe is perfect for anyone looking to make show-stopping holiday cookies that will impress your family and friends. With a few simple ingredients that you might already have in your pantry, these cookies come together quickly and easily.
The key to achieving the perfect texture and flavor of these sugar cookies lies in the combination of butter and shortening in the dough. The combination creates a tender crumb and rich buttery taste while keeping them soft even after they’re cooled down.
Plus, this recipe is not just any sugar cookie recipe; it is a blue ribbon-winning one! Competing against hundreds of other recipes at the state fair, my Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies went on to win top honors, outshining all others with its crispy texture, delicate sweetness, and perfect consistency.
So, whether you’re making these cookies for a cookie contest, as part of your holiday baking tradition, or just want to try an award-winning recipe that is guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest eaters’ taste buds, give my Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies Recipe a try.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Are you in search of the perfect holiday cookie recipe? Look no further than this Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies Recipe!
Why will you love this recipe, you may ask? Well, let me tell you. For starters, it has won a blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair, a renowned event for culinary excellence. This recipe has been tried and tested by expert judges and proven to be among the best of the best.
Not only is this recipe a winner, but it also produces delicious sugar cookies that are perfect for any occasion. The cookies come out perfectly soft with just the right amount of sweetness from a combination of granulated and brown sugars. Plus, the addition of cream of tartar and baking soda results in a light and fluffy texture.
But don’t let the simple ingredients fool you – this recipe is versatile in terms of substitutions and variations. You can easily add chocolate chips, colored sugar or royal icing to elevate your cookie game to the next level!
Lastly, this recipe yields enough dough for approximately two dozen cookies, making it a great choice for those who want to whip up some sweet treats without feeling overwhelmed.
In conclusion, why settle for an average holiday cookie when you can have a blue ribbon-winning one? Make this recipe a part of your dessert table this season and impress all your friends and family with its delicious taste and impressive pedigree.
Ingredient List
Welcome to the Ingredient list! Here’s everything you need to make the Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies Recipe. Take note of these ingredients and make sure you have them all at hand before starting to prepare the recipe.
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ cup shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Optional Ingredients
You can swap some of the main ingredients for a different taste or a more festive look. Here are some optional ingredients:
- Royal Icing: Use this icing to give your cookies different colors and shapes. You can also use colored sugar to create stunning designs.
- Chocolate Chips: If you’re in the mood for chocolate, why not add some chocolate chips to your cookie dough? They’ll melt into gooey bites of goodness.
- Other Shape Cutters: Although the recipe calls for holiday-themed cutters, you can use any shape of cookie cutter you have on hand. Who said cookies are only for Christmas?
Tip: Keep in mind that Temperature is key in this recipe – ensure butter is softened but not melted and eggs are at room temperature.
The Recipe How-To
Now that we have the ingredients ready, let’s move on to the recipe how-to.
Creaming Sugar and Butter
In a large bowl, cream 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together. After that, add 1 cup of brown sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy.
Beat Eggs and Add Flavorings
Next, beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until well combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until just combined.
Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters or a knife. Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate as Desired
Once cooled, you can decorate these cookies with frosting or icing as desired. Try out some colored sugar or royal icing to make your cookies stand out!
Enjoy your delicious homemade Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies with family and friends!
Substitutions and Variations
One of the beauties of baking is the ability to experiment and create your own unique twists on traditional recipes. Here are some substitutions and variations you may want to try while making this blue ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies recipe:
– Butter vs. Shortening: While the recipe calls for a combination of butter and shortening, you can use all butter or all shortening as well. Keep in mind that butter will contribute more flavor, while shortening creates a lighter texture.
– Flour Types: If you want to switch things up, you can use alternative flours such as whole wheat flour or almond flour. However, keep in mind that substituting flours can drastically impact the texture and taste of your cookies.
– Sugar Varieties: To enhance or change the sweetness of your cookies, experiment with using different types of sugar like light brown sugar or even coconut sugar. But be aware that different sugars can also affect texture.
– Flavor Extracts: You can also swap out the vanilla extract for other flavors like almond extract or peppermint extract. Just remember to adjust the amount according to taste!
– Add-Ins: Adding chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit is a fun way to switch up classic sugar cookies. A ribbon monster cookie variety could be created by adding colored sprinkles and M&M candies.
Experimenting with these substitutions and variations is especially fun during the holidays when your friends and family are over. Try out different batches with different mix-ins, then have everyone vote on their favorite!
Serving and Pairing
Now that you have prepared this delicious blue ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies recipe, it’s time to serve them and pair them with the right drinks.
These sugar cookies are perfect for serving during the holidays when everyone’s gathered to celebrate together. They can be served on their own, or you can add a little extra flair and decorate them with royal icing and colored sugar for some added sweetness and pop of color.
You can also pair these cookies with a hot cup of coffee or tea, which complements the subtle sweetness of the cookies perfectly. For those who may have a more adventurous palate, consider pairing these cookies with some hot cocoa or eggnog, as they will not overpower the sugary taste of the cookies.
Additionally, these sugar cookies make great additions to any dessert platter at events such as weddings, birthday parties or special occasions! You can even wrap them up and gift them in decorative bags to your friends and family during the holiday season.
In conclusion, serve these blue ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies with your favorite hot drink during winter festivities to impress your guests. Or add them alongside other desserts at large parties or for gifting. You will not be disappointed!
Make-Ahead, Storing and Reheating
Once you have made these delicious blue-ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies, you will want to know how to store them properly so that they remain as fresh and flavorful as when they were first baked. Fortunately, this recipe can be made ahead and stored effectively for several weeks.
To make-ahead the dough, follow through with the recipe instructions up to the point of cutting out the cookie shapes. Then, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze it for up to a month. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.
If you’ve already baked your cookies and want to keep them fresh, place them in an airtight container at room temperature. To keep their shape intact during storage, layer sugar cookies between sheets of parchment paper. However, if you’re looking to store them for more than a week or two, consider placing the cookie-filled container in the freezer instead.
To reheat previously-baked cookies or thaw frozen ones, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place as many cookies as you want on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until they become firm, usually around 5-6 minutes. Ovens vary slightly though so watch your cookies closely while reheating and remove them from the oven before they brown.
A helpful tip to preserve your beautifully decorated cookies is by keeping different flavors apart from one another. If possible, use separate containers or ziplock bags; otherwise, flavors tend to mix together over time.
By following these storage tips, you will be able to enjoy fresh-tasting blue-ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies long after they’ve come out of the oven!
Tips for Perfect Results
If you want to impress your friends and family with the perfect blue ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies, here are some of my favorite tips for flawless results every time.
Firstly, ensure that your butter and shortening are at room temperature before making the dough. Creaming the butter and sugar well, until it is light and fluffy, will produce a smooth dough, which will help make perfectly shaped cookies.
When you add eggs, cream them into the mixture one at a time until each egg is completely incorporated. Beating all of the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar) in a separate bowl and then adding them gradually to the wet mixture will prevent the cookie dough from being overworked, producing tender cookies that aren’t tough.
Ensure that you don’t over mix your dough! Drop everything else and stop mixing your dough as soon as it’s just combined. Over-mixing results in tougher cookies due to too much gluten formation.
Wrap the cookie dough with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container for at least an hour after mixing to keep it from becoming too soft while you’re rolling it out. You don’t want your cookie cutouts to get smashed; you want them to maintain their shape.
It would be best if you didn’t overcrowd your baking sheet when baking. You wouldn’t want both waves of cookies sticks together because they would touch each other during baking. Air circulation is critical for crisp edges and golden-brown coloration on top.
Finally, chill cutout cookie dough before baking. Chilling helps the cookies maintain their shape throughout baking, resulting in perfect shapes every time.
Using these tips will assist in achieving an excellent outcome of this state fair-winning recipe to prove to everyone that you have unrivaled skills in making blue ribbon winner holiday cutout cookies!
Bottom Line
In conclusion, this Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies recipe is an absolute must-try for anyone who loves cookies. Not only has it won multiple state fair contests, but it’s also been recognized by Martha Stewart and featured on the Food Network. The combination of butter, shortening, vanilla extract, and both brown and granulated sugars create a flavor that cannot be beat.
With the tips and substitutions provided in this recipe article, you can make this cookie your own by experimenting with different flavors and designs. From traditional Christmas shapes to silly monsters, there’s no limit to what you can create.
So why settle for mediocre cookies when you could have award-winning cookies? Give this recipe a try and see for yourself why it deserves all the blue ribbons. Happy baking!
Blue Ribbon Winner Holiday Cutout Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening, crisco preferred
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Cream shortening and butter with powdered sugar til light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time til incorporated; mixing well; add extracts til blended.
- Sift flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in separate bowl. Stir with whip until well blended.
- Add dry mixture to batter; mixing just until incorporated and creamy. Do not overbeat.
- Chill in bowl for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Roll out on lightly floured board or between Saran Wrap sheets.
- Cut out and transfer to lightly greased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbrown. Edges should be very light brown.
- Leave on cookie sheet exactly one minute before transferring to cooling rack. The cookie should have a crisp melt in your mouth texture.
- Souce: Blue Ribbon Winner Cookie Entry Minnesota State Fair 1987.
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Steven is a chef by heritage, so it’s no wonder why baking is such a big part of who he is. To share his passion for all things sweet, he created cookiesncrepes.com. It’s the perfect platform to indulge in delicious treats, all with a sprinkle of his signature flare.