Sometimes You Just Need a Cookie

This will probably be my last apple post for a while--and let's be honest, this one really has nothing to do with apples...or really with my stated mission regarding seasonal and local eating. But you know, sometimes you just need a cookie, and least these were homemade, and contained nary a drop of high-fructose corn syrup (see King Corn or read The Omnivore's Dilemma for why that is so crucially important). And never fear, a legitimate post is on its way very soon.

This recipe is by far the best sugar cookie recipe I've found for rolling and using cookie cutters. It is great for Christmas cookies (or anytime cookies, as evidenced by this post), and you can roll and re-roll the scraps over and over without the dough getting tough or crumbly. I would recommend under-baking these for a softer sugar cookie, as mine (baked for the time specified) were a little crispy and more shortbread-like than I was going for. Still, nothing beats homemade cookies, and given my penchant for collecting cookie cutters, this was a well-needed (and delicious) way to start my week.

Best Christmas (or Anytime) Cookies (from Cook's Country, a great magazine from America's Test Kitchen that features classic recipes and regional favorites--you should subscribe!)

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on shape. If the dough becomes too warm or sticky when rolling and cutting, return it to the fridge until firm (resist the urge to add more flour).

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Directions:
1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk yolks, sour cream, and vanilla in second smaller bowl until well combined. Whisking constantly, gradually pour butter into sour cream mixture; whisk until incorporated. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir with rubber spatula until combined. Knead dough by hand in bowl until flour is completely incorporated and dough has formed ball. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour (can also freeze for 30 minutes).
2. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 rectangle of dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment paper to an even 1/8-inch thickness. (If dough seems soft, slide rolled dough, still between parchment, onto baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.) Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutter(s) and place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
3. Bake until cookies are lightly browned around edges, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking time. Repeat process with remaining dough. (Dough scraps can be kneaded together and rerolled.) Cool cookies on wire rack to room temperature before glazing with No-Fuss Icing (recipe below).

No-Fuss Icing

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• Food coloring
• (optional) 2-3 drops flavored extract (vanilla, peppermint, or almond work well)

Directions:

1. With small whisk or for, combine 1 tablespoon milk and confectioner's sugar in small bowl to make soft, smooth icing. Stir in food coloring and optional flavored extracts. If mixture is too stiff, add milk in very tiny increments until desired consistency is reached.

Note: I divided this recipe into thirds--1/3 cup of confectioner's sugar each in 3 bowls, and then combined the sugar with the milk so I could have 3 different colors going on at once. It was almost enough to glaze my 2 dozen cookies (I had to make just a bit more at the end), and it hardens into a beautiful sheen.