I'm not exactly Better Crocker, but I try lol

Aloha!

I wanted to share two awesome holiday cookie recipes in case you have the inkling to try some new baking ideas. They are delicious!

Let me know if you try one! J

Always,

Amber

Cardamom Sugar Cookies

Yield: About 4 dozen 2″ cookies

Cookies:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cardamom
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water

Cookie toppings.

Optional cookie toppings:

Sanding sugars
Candy pearls
Crushed chocolate
Chopped nuts
Jam

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sea salt and cardamom. Separately, whisk together the butter and sugar, either by hand or with an electric mixer. When the mix has been creamed, beat in the egg and vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until thoroughly combined. Knead, if necessary, to mix ingredients. Separate into two balls and freeze for about one half hour, but be careful to not freeze the dough entirely.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Remove dough from freezer, and let stand a few minutes. On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8″. Grease a large baking sheet and keep it on hand. Dip your cookie cutter into the flour and cut the cookies. Arrange on baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, checking after about ten minutes to make sure they’re not browning. While the cookies are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking the water into the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Set aside until ready to use. Allow the cookies to cool before brushing the glaze on. Once the glaze is on, sprinkle with desired toppings and let the cookies sit for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Rosemary Cookies

Yield: About 5 dozen  cookies

Cookies:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 teaspoons orange zest

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

Combine flour, cornmeal, rosemary, orange zest and salt in a mixing bowl. Separately, whisk together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.

Divide dough in half and shape into 5-inch disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. May also be chilled overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll dough to thickness of 1/8 inch. Use 1 or 1.5 in round cookie cutters to cut dough into rounds. Dip the cookie cutters in flour if dough sticks.

Grease an 11x17 baking sheet and arrange cookies. Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning the sheet halfway through. Cookies will be ready when the edges have browned. Keep an eye on them – they’ll go from perfect to burned pretty quickly~